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THE 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 

Volume  8,  Number  1 Sept. /Oct.  1979 

^ 

published  by 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA 

HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY 

325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  19106 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman /Chairman 
Ernesta  D.  Ballard  /President 
Jean  Byrn el  Editor 

PUBLICATIONS  COMMITTEE 
Nancy  Howard /Chair 
George  Borowsky 
C.  Stuart  Brown 
Alexander  Crosby 
Barbara  Hesse  Emerson 
Herbert  W.  Goodall,  Jr. 

George  M.  Harding 
Bobette  Leidner 
Dorothy  S.  Young 


DESIGNER 

Julie  Baxendell 

Baxendell  Design  Associates 

THE  GREEN  SCENE,  (USPS  955580)  Volume 
8,  No.  1 , published  bimonthly,  January,  March, 
May,  July,  September,  November,  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  a non-profit 
membership  organization  at  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106.  Subscription:  $7.50  — 
Single  Copy:  $1.50.  Second  class  postage  paid 
at  Philadelphia,  PA  19104. 

POSTMASTER:  Send  Form  No.  3579  to  THE 
GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.  19106. 

© Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  1 979 


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Front 

Cover: 


Back 

Cover: 


in  this  issue 

Editorial  by  Jean  Byrne 

Tulips  with  a Difference  by  Bebe  Miles 

Tale  of  a Tool  by  Frederic  Ballard 

Ferns:  The  Hidden  Story  Beneath  Their  Leaves 
by  F.  Gordon  Foster 

Flower,  Fruit  and  Fall  Foliage 
by  Diane  M.  Katzaman 

The  Lardizabala  Family  by  John  M.  Fogg,  Jr. 

Getting  to  the  Garden  Path 
by  Alexander  L.  Crosby 

Tiarella  — Foamflowerby  Thomas  Buchter 

The  Stately  Scholar  by  Edwin  A.  Peeples 

Be  Wary  When  Plant  Ads  Sound  Too  Tempting 
by  Amalie  Adler  Ascher 

Growing  Interests 

Air  Layering  a Palm  by  George  A.  Elbert 
Classified  Ads 

Angiopteris  evecta,  primitive  and  closely  related 
to  Marattia  fraxinea,  has  its  distinctive  soral 
character.  Here  closely  spaced  sporangia  have 
discharged  their  spores,  leaving  a pattern  similar 
to  empty  insect  egg  shells, 
photo  by  F.  Gordon  Foster 

Tulipa  clusiana 

photo  by  Bebe  Miles 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


'aj  a. 


This  is  our  43rd  issue  of  Green  Scene;  we  now  begin  our  eighth  volume. 

When  the  Publications  Committee  began  to  plan  a magazine  in  1971 , the  big  question  was:  will  we 
have  enough  to  fill  it?  On  the  average,  we  publish  approximately  70  articles  a year,  of  varying  lengths. 

We  have  never  wanted  for  material;  there  are,  however,  still  many  untold  stories  among  our  members. 

Scouting  articles  on  horticultural  subjects  is  done  several  ways.  Often  people  are  modest  and  have 
to  be  persuaded  that  what  they  have  to  share  about  growing  plants  is  worthwhile.  For  example,  I was 
told  by  a landscape  architect,  whose  judgment  about  these  matters  is  impeccable,  that  he  knew  some- 
one who  had  constructed  a remarkable  bamboo  greenhouse.  It  took  several  phone  calls  to  persuade 
the  shy  grower-architect  that  our  readers  would  be  very  interested  in  his  project.  When  he  finally  wrote 
a most  charming  article,  we  had  requests  from  a newspaper  and  a magazine  for  information  about  the 
man  and  his  work.  The  pleased  author  has  allowed  that  at  some  future  date  he  will  probably  do 
another  article. 

In  addition  to  referrals,  occasionally  we  may  pirate  a fine  writer  from  another  publication.  One 
writer  came  to  us  via  the  New  York  Times  Garden  Section;  he  had  written  a lively , controversial  article, 
and  we  noticed  in  the  credit  line. that  he  was  from  the  Delaware  Valley  area.  His  point  of  view  was 
irreverent,  warm,  humorous,  and  he  was  clearly  a lover  of  plants.  Perfect  for  us. 

Some  favorite  articles  have  been  written  by  people  who  have  come  to  us  and  casually  noted  "this 
interesting  thing  is  happening."  A couple  of  examples:  one  man  who  was  moving  to  a new  house  gave 
his  valuable  conifer  collection  over  to  an  arboretum.  We  were  on  the  spot  photographing  the  enormous 
move.  Someone  else  organized  wildflower  rescue  parties.  Again,  we  sent  a photographer  along.  The 
story  was  picked  up  by  several  other  publications.  There  are  a dozen  stories  that  have  come  to  us 
because  someone  told  us  about  her/his  interesting  project. 

Finally,  what  moved  me  to  write  this  editorial  celebrating  our  eighth  birthday  was  that  someone 
who  had  suffered  a horticultural  tragedy  last  winter  suggested  that  she  write  an  article  about  it  so 
other  people  could  avoid  a similar  tragedy.  Well  into  the  story,  she  told  me  that  writing  the  article 
had  transformed  the  experience  for  her.  The  process  of  sharing  the  information  was  becoming  a small 
and  satisfying  collaboration  against  the  forces  of  nature.  Organizing  the  story  gave  her  some  mastery 
over  reality.  It  will  appear  sometime  this  winter. 

There  are  still  many  marvelous  horticulturists  out  there  who  haven't  appeared  in  our  pages.  For 
example,  one  woman  long  ago  said  we  should  have  a good  piece  on  cyclamen  and  helped  us  to  find 
one;  however,  she  herself  hasn't  written  for  us  yet.  Her  mind  is  a storehouse  of  fabulous  information, 
and  she  can  write.  We  know  that  because  we  recently  saw  a lovely  piece  she  wrote  for  a writing  class  3 

she  attended  in  her  91st  year.  Too,  I cannot  hope  ever  to  know  or  meet  all  of  the  people  who  are 
doing  interesting  things  horticulturally  in  this  area.  Tell  us  about  them  so  we  can  all  enjoy  and  benefit 
from  their  experiences. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


EDITORIAL 


Tulipa  acuminata 

TULIPS  WITH 
A DIFFERENCE 

(^)  by  Bebe  Miles 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


photos  by  author 


T.  tarda 


T.  pulchella  viotacea 


T.  kaufmarwiana  'Ancilla 


5 


You  knowtulips,  right?  Big  goblet- 
shaped flowers  on  long  stems  that 
decorate  Delaware  Valley  gardens  in 
April  and  May . Oh,  wrong,  my  friends. 
Or  at  least  only  partly  correct. 

To  limit  yourself  to  the  traditional 
tulips  like  Darwin  or  Cottage  types  is 
to  miss  at  least  half  of  the  tulip  parade 
every  spring.  Without  downgrading 
the  beauty  of  a group  of  stately  Dar- 
win, I want  to  emphasize  that  these 
other  tulips  have  a special  charm,  an 
almost  elfin  quality,  all  the  more 


effective  because  of  the  odd  times 
many  appear. 

Some  of  these  "different"  tulips 
are  true  species,  a few  are  hybrids  or 
selections.  Many  have  star-shaped 
open  flowers  that  may  be  tapered 
rather  than  globular  when  closed. 
Some  bear  clusters  of  blossoms. 
Because  of  their  smaller  stature  a 
great  many  are  ideal  for  rock  gardens 
or  for  small  niches  or  foregrounds. 
None  has  foliage  that  looks  objection- 
able as  it  matures.  Indeed,  most  of 


them  ripen  off  their  leaves  quickly 
and  so  unobtrusively  that  no  one 
even  notices.  As  an  added  bonus 
some  of  them  at  least  increase  into 
attractive  colonies  over  the  years. 

If  there  is  any  drawback  to  their 
use  in  the  ordinary  garden,  it  is  their 
apparent  need  for  dry  summers.  Per- 
fect drainage  is  definitely  one  of 
their  requirements,  but  so  is  a thor- 
ough baking  during  dormancy.  A 
reminder  of  their  Mediterranean  ori- 
gins, I suppose.  I no  longer  plant 

continued 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


TULIPS  WITH  A DIFFERENCE  continued 


them  in  areas  where  I know  I will  be 
doing  extensive  summer  irrigating  for 
any  reason. 

It  must  also  be  admitted  that  not 
all  species  tulips  in  trade  are  ready  to 
bloom.  How  many  are  collected 
rather  than  grown  specifically  for 
sale  I cannot  guess.  I have,  however, 
had  some  that  grew  for  several  sea- 
sons in  my  garden  before  finally 
blooming,  and  it  is  hard  not  to  think 
that  they  were  underage  sizes  that 
eventually  matured. 

Should  you  have  a choice,  I would 
always  place  most  species  tulips  in 
the  thinnest  soil  rather  than  the  best 
loam.  Such  a Spartan  diet  seems  to 
inhibit  their  propensity  to  increase 
by  means  of  stolons.  You  can  figure 
this  is  the  problem  if  your  planting  in 
its  second  year  produces  many  single 
blades  of  foliage. 

Finally,  with  a single  exception, 
all  these  species  must  have  full  sun 
until  their  foliage  has  matured  in  late 
spring.  This  means  not  only  no  tree 
shade  but  even  no  competition  from 
burgeoning  perennials.  The  most 
diminutive  cannot  compete  with  even 
a lush  groundcover. 

Perhaps  the  most  treasured  are  the 
earliest-blooming.  For  most  of  us 
that  means  March  although  towards 
Wilmington  some  might  well  appear 
in  February  during  an  easy  winter. 

look  twice 

You  might  have  to  look  twice  to 
recognize  T.  turkestanica,  for  it  pro- 
duces sprays  of  very  small  starry  flow- 
ers. They  accompany  the  Chiono- 
doxa,  and  the  two  genera  are  particu- 
larly lovely  if  planted  together.  Sel- 
dom more  than  1 0 in.  high  at  maturity. 
T.  turkestanica  is  a long-lasting  gar- 
den decorative  too  unless  there  is  an 
early  spell  of  hot  weather.  Under 
more  normal  circumstances  a colony 
may  stay  in  flower  for  weeks,  folding 
up  its  blossoms  at  dusk  and  on  inclem- 
ent days.  The  awakening  honeybees 
revel  in  its  pollen. 

Just  as  early  is  T.  pulchella  'Vio- 


lacea'  which  is  sometimes  cataloged 
as  'Violet  Queen.'  This  is  a vibrant 
magenta  shade  and  a real  knockout 
in  the  early  grey  days  of  spring.  The 
single  blossoms  are  definitely  globe- 
shaped  on  strong  stems  perhaps  6 in. 
high.  Plant  them  closely  to  accentu- 
ate the  splash  of  color,  for  it  is  a rare 
treat  at  that  time  of  year. 

Sometimes  you  may  come  across 
T.  pulchella  'Humilis.'  It  is  related  to 
'Violet  Queen,'  but  hardly  as  dra- 
matic, being  a soft  lavender  and  a 
much  slenderer  flower. 

Right  on  the  heels  of  these  heralds 
come  the  various  kaufmanniana  tulips. 
Most  of  these  are  selections  or  hy- 
brids, but  some  catalogs  offer  the 
true  species,  which  seems  to  be  the 
earliest  of  them  all.  Stems  here  are 
seldom  higher  than  8 in.  The  large 
flowers,  while  long  and  tapering 

Perhaps  the  most  treasured  are 
the  earliest-blooming.  For  most 
of  us  that  means  March  although 
towards  Wilmington  some  might 
well  appear  in  February  during 
an  easy  winter. 

when  closed,  open  flat  in  sunshine.  It 
is  easy  to  understand  their  nickname 
of  waterlily  tulips.  As  a class  these 
are  as  permanent  a tulip  as  any  you 
are  likely  to  plant  (given  the  right 
well-drained  location).  After  the  first 
year,  the  bulbs  may  break  into  smaller 
ones,  so  that  in  subsequent  years  you 
will  have  a patch  with  blossoms  of 
varying  sizes.  I find  that  appealing. 

T.  kaufmanniana  itself  is  rather 
dull  outside  but  creamy  inside.  Some 
of  its  hybrids  and  selections  are  truly 
quite  striking.  'Stresa,'  for  example, 
is  bright  yellow  and  red;  'Shakespeare' 
is  a combination  of  orange  and  apri- 
cot. 'Ancilla'  and  'Heart's  Delight' 
are  two  of  the  best  with  pink  coloring. 
As  a class  the  kaufmanniana  blooms 
at  the  same  time  as  many  daffodils, 
which  makes  for  some  truly  gorgeous 
companionate  possibilities. 

Here  I might  interject  a suggestion 


that  if  you  are  not  acquainted  with 
the  kaufmanniana,  you  plan  a trip 
next  spring  to  Lenteboden,  the  dis- 
play garden  of  Charles  H.  Mueller 
near  New  Hope,  Pa.  Call  ahead  if  you 
want  the  optimum  dates  for  these 
particular  tulips  although  all  spring 
there  is  something  worth  seeing  at 
this  extraordinary  "living  catalog." 
This  is  surely  the  most  pleasant  way  to 
see  what  bulbs  can  do  for  the  garden. 

favorites 

Very  high  on  my  list  of  favorite 
tulips  is  T.  tarda  (sometimes  called 
daystemon).  Over  the  years  this  dar- 
ling has  given  me  the  best  increase  of 
all  the  species  tulips.  My  colony  liter- 
ally covers  the  ground,  and  it  seems 
to  be  able  to  cope  with  ordinary  gar- 
den conditions  very  well.  Other  tulips 
may  falter  after  a wet  summer,  but 
T.  tarda  continues  to  prosper.  Its 
clusters  of  starry  yellow  and  cream 
flowers  are  incredibly  gay  when  fully 
open.  Only  a few  inches  high,  this 
tulip  fits  in  anywhere. 

For  the  rock  gardener  or  the  per- 
son with  limited  space  several  other 
midseason  species  are  especially  nice. 
T.  saxatilis  is  a lavender  lovely  with  a 
bright  yellow  throat.  About  10  in. 
high,  it  often  bears  two  blooms  per 
stem.  T.  batalinii  is  a bright  yellow 
with  some  orange  streaking.  Its  globes 
are  only  about  6 in.  high  and  make  a 
fine  display  if  planted  only  a few 
inches  apart.  T.  kolpakowskiana  is  a 
smallish  yellow  and  red  with  pretty 
ruffled  foliage. 

T.  clusiana  is  widely  offered  as  the 
candystick  or  lady  tulip.  Its  pink  and 
white  striped  flowers  are  about  1 2 in. 
high  but  still  dainty.  It  has,  however, 
the  deplorable  propensity  to  split 
into  many  small  bulbs  which  wander 
afield  on  stolons  and  often  produce 
more  foliage  than  flowers.  Try  it  in 
rocky'soil,  which  may  slow  down  its 
increase. 

Although  it  has  never  stayed  more 
than  a few  years  in  my  gardens,  T. 
praestans  'Fusileer'  is  a bright  accent 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


T.  praestans  'Fusileer' 

the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


for  midseason  daffodils.  Several  scarlet 
blossoms  are  borne  per  stem  about  a 
foot  tall.  I suspect  it  demands  more 
summer  dryness  than  I have  given  it. 

I mentioned  that  one  tulip  will  take 
a little  shade.  It's  T.  sylvestris,  the  so- 
called  wood  tulip.  Be  warned  to  place 
it  always  on  the  edge  of  a tree  planting 
where  it  will  get  at  least  some  hours  of 
good  sunshine.  Over  the  years  it  will 
wander  widely  on  stoloniferous  roots. 
The  nodding  pure  yellow  flowers  are 
medium-sized  on  stems  often  at  least 
16  in.  high.  It  is  a particularly  graceful 
tulip  because  its  stems  tend  to  arch 
rather  than  stand  stiffly  upright.  It 
makes  a nice  contrast  in  an  informal 
garden  where  its  gypsy  habits  do  not 
upset  a regular  design.  Try  it  with  our 
native  Phlox  divaricata. 

Among  other  midseason  species  I 
enjoy  are  the  orange-flecked  T.  acumi- 
nata, a strange  spidery  shape  on  18  in. 
stems;  and  T.  chrysantha,  a really  tiny 
yellow  and  red.  T.  marjolettii  is  a later 
yellow  with  rosy  streaking.  Its  height, 
however,  rather  restricts  it  toward  the 
back  of  a planting  where  its  informality 
can  blend  with  other  spring  flowers. 

Two  more  of  these  wild  tulips  are 
worth  mentioning  if  only  for  their  late- 
ness. T.  persica  is  a little-seen  jewel, 
bearing  several  small  flowers  per  stem 
in  late  May.  It  is  yellow  with  bronze 
touches  and  hardly  6 in.  tall.  Use  it  to 
light  up  the  foreground  where  the 
other  early  bulbs  are  over.  T.  sprengeri 
is  by  far  the  latest  tulip  although  a rar- 
ity you  will  have  to  search  for.  On  1 0 in. 
stems  it  bears  neat  red  and  yellow  flow- 
ers in  early  June  here  at  Doylestown. 

Some  of  these  tulips,  which  come 
directly  from  the  wild,  will  do  better 
than  others  in  a particular  situation. 
You  must  try  them  to  discover  which 
will  do  what  for  you.  And  in  the 
attempt  I can  guarantee  you  both 
beauty  and  pleasure. 


Bebe  Miles's  latest  book  Wild! lower  Peren- 
nials for  Your  Garden,  published  by  Haw- 
thorn, has  just  been  issued  in  paperback. 


7 


8 


TALE 

OFA 

TOOL 

(^)  by  Frederic  L.  Ballard 


One  Saturday  not  long  ago,  I had 
finished  removing  the  dried  sap  from 
the  blades  of  my  clippers  (Fig.  1 ) and 
touching  up  the  cutting  edge  on  a 
whetstone  (Fig.  2).  I displayed  them 
to  my  horticultural  friend  (Fig.  3)  and 
asked  whether  she  did  not  find  them 
to  be  a pleasing  artifact.  She  said  yes. 

What  I had  in  mind,  of  course,  was 
aesthetics— the  functional  shape,  the 
patina  on  the  handle,  and  the  highlight 
on  the  polished  blade.  What  my  friend 
had  in  mind  was  quite  different.  It 
emerged  after  breakfast  next  morning. 

“Why  don't  you  write  an  article?" 

"Hunh?" 

"For  the  Green  Scene." 

"Hunh?" 

"About  those  clippers.  You've  had 
them  20  years." 

"More  than  30." 

"You  can  tell  how  you  clean  them 
and  sharpen  them.  People  will  be 
interested." 


"Uh  — hunh." 

My  friend,  as  you  have  surmised,  is 
the  publisher  of  the  Green  Scene,  and 
I had  been  so  rash  as  to  voice  an  idea 
she  considered  publishable.  Hence  this 
essay. 

About  the  clippers,  there  is  not 
much  to  be  said.  They  are  of  conven- 
tional design,  manufactured  in  the 
1940's  out  of  carbon  steel.  Like  all 
tools  of  that  material,  they  need  to  be 
wiped  dry  after  every  use  and  lightly 
sharpened  on  a fine  stone  after  any 
prolonged  cutting.  Given  this  care, 
plus  an  occasional  scouring  to  remove 
the  sap,  they  will  last  indefinitely. 
Their  modern  descendants,  with  plastic 
handles  and  stainless  blades,  are  even 
easier  to  take  care  of.  Rust  is  not  a 
danger,  and  the  new  stainless  steels 
hold  an  edge  considerably  longer  than 
carbon. 

As  for  major  sharpening,  i.e.,  renew- 
ing an  edge  that  has  been  worn  away, 


Figure  2.  Touching  up  the  cutting  blade  on 
a fine  whetstone. 


Figure  1 . Removing  the  dried  sap  from  clip- 
per blades  with  a Brillo  pad. 


Figure  3.  The  clippers  that  stimulated  this 

article.  Do  you  find  tham  a pleas-  the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 
ing  artifact? 


the  only  satisfactory  method  is  to  take 
the  clippers  apart  and  dress  the  cutting 
blade  as  you  would  a chisel.  The  blade 
has  one  flat  face  (the  face  that  works 
against  the  other  blade)  and  one  beveled 
face.  The  sharpnessangle,  i.e.,  the  angle 
between  the  flat  face  and  the  beveled 
face,  will  probably  be  about  30  for  a 
carbon  steel  blade  and  somewhat  less, 
perhaps  22°,  forstainless.  The  sharpen- 
ing process  is  as  follows: 

1.  The  first  step  is  to  note  the 
sharpness  angle  and  the  amount 
of  wear,  as  shown  in  cross  section 
in  diagram  I. 

2.  The  next  step  is  to  restore  the 
sharp  edge  while  maintaining  the 
sharpness  angle.  You  accomplish 
this  by  removing  the  excess  metal 
from  the  bevel  face  as  shown  in 
diagram  2 (the  area  to  be  removed 
is  shaded).  You  can  use  a file  to 
remove  most  of  the  excess  and  a 
coarse  whetstone  for  the  rest. 


You  will  know  that  you  have  just 
about  accomplished  your  purpose 
when  a burr  develops  along  the 
cutting  edge.  A stroke  or  two 
with  a fine  stone  will  remove  the 
burr,  leaving  the  edge  sharp  and 
smooth. 

3.  Some  people  would  stop  at  this 
point.  However,  the  true  afficio- 
nado  goes  one  step  further  and 
creates  a microbevel  as  shown  in 
diagram  3.  This  increases  the 
sharpness  angle  and  makes  the 
edge  wear  longer. 

Note  that  all  metal  is  to  be  removed 
from  the  beveled  face;  the  flat  face 
is  never  touched  by  the  file  or  the 
stone.  On  a curved  blade  such  as 
this,  it  is  impossible  to  maintain  a 
uniform  sharpness  angle;  nor  is  it 
necessary.  The  clippers  will  work 
satisfactorily  over  a wide  range  of 
angles. 

So  much  for  the  clippers.  I have 


DIAGRAM  1 DIAGRAM  2 DIAGRAM  3 


FLAT  FACE 


WORN 
EDGE  \ 


Cross  section  of  cutting 
blade  showing  sharpness 
angle  and  wear.  The  beveled 
face  is  at  the  bottom. 


Same  cross  section  as  dia- 
gram 1 , showing  metal  to 
be  removed  in  order  to  re- 
store cuttingangleand  edge. 


Closeup  cross  section  of 
edge  showing  micro  bevel. 


Figure  4.  Overall  view  of  turntable. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Figure  5.  Turntable  at  lowest  position,  for 
access  to  the  top  of  the  plant. 


offered  a bit  of  information  about 
them  because  the  publisher  asked  me 
to,  but  imparting  information  about 
tools  is  not  my  real  purpose.  In  point 
of  fact,  I am  not  a tool  buff  and  would 
not  be  qualified  to  discourse  on  the 
subject  at  length.  Rather,  my  aim  is  to 
stimulate  those  who  are  tool  buffs  to 
contribute  to  future  issues  of  this 
magazine.  The  editor  assures  me  that  it 
is  not  necessary  to  compose  a full 
length  article.  She  would  be  delighted 
with  a paragraph  or  two  describing  a 
tool  or  technique  that  may  not  have 
come  to  general  attention. 

By  way  of  example,  I present  a turn- 
table for  grooming  bonsai,  topiary  and 
other  decorative  plants.  The  essential 
feature  is  that  the  turntable  can  be 
raised,  lowered  and  revolved  to  permit 
easy  access  to  the  tops  and  bottoms  of 
large  and  small  plants.  The  intriguing 
feature  is  the  device  for  adjusting  the 
height. 

continued 


Figure  6.  Turntable  at  highest  position,  for 


access  to  the  bottom  of  plant. 


TALEOFATOOL  continued 


The  completed  stand  is  shown  in 
figure  4.  The  range  of  heights  can  be 
seen  in  figures  5 (low)  and  6 (high). 
Figure  7 shows  how  the  height  is 
adjusted,  which  I will  explain  below. 

The  materials  for  the  stand  consist 
of  a kitchen  stool;  a piece  of  wood  or 
plywood  about  a foot  wide;  a three- 
foot  length  of  %-in.  pipe,  threaded  at 
both  ends,  a flange  and  cap  to  fit  the 
pipe;  about  three  feet  of  1 x 2-in.  lum- 
ber or  a piece  of  Ms-in.  plywood  about 
14  in.  square;  and  (the  key  to  the 
design)  a home  handyman's  furniture 
clamp  consisting  of  two  jaws  designed 


to  be  mounted  on  %-in.  pipe,  one  to 
be  screwed  on  the  end  of  the  pipe  and 
the  other  to  slide  along  it. 

To  assemble: 

1 . Use  the  first  piece  to  make  the 
turntable,  which  is  shown  as 
round  but  could  be  square, 
octagonal,  etc. 

2.  Use  the  1 x 2-in.  lumber  (or  the 
14-in.  square  plywood)  to  install 
a cross  brace  between  the  legs  of 
the  stool  12  in.  or  13  in.  below 
the  seat. 

3.  Bore  holes  large  enough  for  the 
pipe  in  the  center  of  the  seat  and 


Figure  7.  Closeup  showing  cross  brace  (be- 
tween the  legs  of  the  stool  at  bot- 
tom of  picture)  and  pipe  clamp  to 
adjust  height  (under  operator's 
right  thumb). 


the  center  of  the  cross  brace. 

4.  Screw  the  flange  in  the  center  of 
the  underside  of  the  turntable. 

5.  Screw  one  end  of  the  pipe  into 
the  flange  and  pass  it  through  (in 
order)  the  sliding  jaw  of  the  fur- 
niture clamp,  the  seat,  and  the 
cross  brace. 

6.  Screw  the  cap  on  the  other  end 
of  the  pipe. 

To  adjust  the  height,  use  the  thumb 
of  one  hand  to  depress  the  catch  on 
the  clamp  (my  right  thumb  in  figure  7) 
and  use  the  other  hand  to  raise  or  lower 
the  turntable.  When  you  take  your 
thumb  off  the  clamp,  it  will  automati- 
cally lock  on  the  pipe  at  the  desired 
position. 

There  you  have  it.  Practical, durable, 
easy  to  make,  and  comparatively  inex- 
pensive (the  clamp  costs  about  $8.00). 
A good  craftsman  could  improve  the 
design:  three  legs  instead  of  four  to 
improve  stability;  a shorter  space  be- 
tween the  seat  and  the  cross  brace  to 
increase  the  height  range;  a drawer  for 
tools;  and  so  forth.  You  could  start 
with  a three-legged  sculptor's  stand, 
available  in  art  stores  for  about  $40. 

If  you  have  a better  idea  for  this  or 
any  other  piece  of  equipment,  don't 
tell  me.  Write  about  it  for  the  Green 
Scene  and  tell  all  the  gardeners  in  the 
Delaware  Valley. 

• 

Fred  Ballard  is  a lawyer  with  wide-ranging 
interests  in  horticulture.  He  has  written 
articles  for  Green  Scene  about  the  Wissa- 
hickon  Valley  and  the  aesthetics  of  pruning. 
He  is  also  a contributor  to  the  Bonsai 
Journal,  published  by  the  American  Bonsai 
Society. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


photos  by  author 


Marattia  fraxinea  is  a large  fern  of  the  old  world  tropics  having 
leaves  up  to  1 5 ft.  long.  Believed  from  fossil  evidence  to  have 
had  its  origin  somewhere  in  the  upper  Paleazoic  or  Mesozoic  eras, 
it  has  retained  primitive  boat-like  spore  receptacles  mounted  on 
prominent  veins. 


Well  named  for  its  leaf  shape,  kidney  fern .Cardiomanes  reniforme, 
has  sporangia  in  adjacent  tubular  containers  arranged  along  the 
periphery  of  the  leaf. 


Umbrella  fern,  Gleichenia  cunninghamii,  known  by  the  Maori  as 
Tapuwee  kotuku,  is  common  in  New  Zealand.  Other  members  of 
the  genus  grow  in  warmer  areas  throughout  the  world.  It  is  vine- 
like in  structure  and  is  commonly  seen  in  masses  along  country 
roadsides;  when  dry  it  can  present  a serious  fire  hazard.  It  does, 
however,  have  a most  interesting  soral  pattern.  Sporangia,  three 
or  more,  are  arranged  to  form  circular  patterns,  appearing  like 
cloverleaf  biscuits. 


FERNS: 

THE  HIDDEN 
STORY  BENEATH 
THEIR  LEA/ES 


(^)  by  F.  Gordon  Foster 

Beneath  the  leaves  of  virtually  all  ferns  there  are  form- 
ations that  look  like  insect  egg  clusters.  This  is  true 
whether  the  fern  is  a tiny  curly-grass  fern  (Schizaea 
pusilla)  of  the  New  Jersey  Pine  Barrens,  or  the  giant  black 
tree  fern  (Cyathea  medullaris)  of  the  New  Zealand  bush. 
The  spore  containers  and  their  cluster  formations  are 
one  of  the  important  features  used  to  identify  any  one 
of  more  than  10,000  of  these  primitive  foliar  plants. 

Ferns  have  never  developed  any  colorful  flowers,  a 
condition  that  makes  their  identification  difficult.  Having 
no  flowers,  it  follows  that  they  produce  no  seeds,  and 
propagation  by  sexual  means  is  dependent  upon  the  spores. 

continued 


1 1 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Spores  are  generated  from  spore- 
mother-cells  within  the  walls  of  the 
containers  or  sporangia.  When  each 
spore-mother-cell  matures,  it  undergoes 
meiosis,  a double  division  to  form  four 
new  cells  or  spores;  hence  each  spor- 
angium will  contain  some  multiple  of 
four  spores,  such  as  48,  64,  or  96. 
Alone,  the  spores  when  examined 
under  a microscope  are  of  great  value 
in  identifying  a fern.  Spores  vary  in 
size,  shape,  and  color  and,  in  general, 
are  so  small  that  two  could  be  placed 
side  by  side  on  a human  hair  with 
room  to  spare. 

Typical  shapes  of  sporangia  differ 
among  fern  families.  Some  are  spheri- 
cal, some  are  egg-shaped,  while  others 
have  odd  and  distinctive  patterns.  His- 
torically, the  thickness  of  sporangial 
walls  is  of  interest.  Ferns  originating 
in  the  most  primitive  periods  have  re- 
tained fleshy,  multicelled  walls.  Since 
rupturing  the  walls  to  discharge  the 
spores  would  be  difficult,  nature  has 


provided  these  sporangia  with  delicate 
slits  that  are  forced  apart  by  expand- 
ing spores.  A good  example  of  this  con- 
dition is  apparent  in  the  grape  ferns  of 
the  genus  Botrychium.  Sporangial  walls 
of  all  later  ferns  are  very  thin  and  rup- 
turing is  aided  by  specialized  cells. 

Some  sporangia  grow  along  the 
edges  of  the  leaflets,  like  those  of  the 


. . . two  [spores]  could  be  placed 
side  by  side  on  a human  hair 
with  room  to  spare. 


cinnamon  fern,  Osmunda  cinnamomea, 
and  are  so  numerous  that  the  identity 
of  the  leaflet  is  virtually  lost.  Others, 
like  those  of  the  staghorn  ferns  of  the 
genus  Platycerium,  are  so  closely  spaced 
on  the  underside  of  the  leaf  that  the 
area  appears  more  like  a golden-brown 
wall-to-wall  carpet. 


While  random  distribution  of  spor- 
angia sporangia  occurs  in  some  ferns,  it 
is  far  more  common  to  see  clumps  or 
mounds  of  the  sporangia  arranged  in 
definite  patterns  on  the  underside  of 
the  leaves.  These  orderly  arranged 
mounds  are  known  in  the  fern  lan- 
guage as  sori  (singular,  sorus)  a Greek 
word  meaning  a "mound”  or  "heap." 

A sorus  may  be  composed  of  three  or 
four  sporangia  or  it  may  have  twenty  or 
more,  making  a sizable  mound. 

Sori  differ  in  shape  among  genera, 
linear,  round,  tubular,  imbricate,  cup- 
or  funnel-like  being  but  a few.  In  some 
instances  the  sori  are  covered  with  a 
thin  membrane,  known  as  indusium. 
Where  the  sorus  lacks  this  protective 
covering,  the  fern  is  said  to  be  naked 
or  exindusiate.  A good  example  of  an 
exindusiate  fern  is  our  common  rock- 
cap  fern, Polypodium  virginianum.  The 
more  than  200  different  species  of 
maidenhair  ferns  growing  throughout 
the  world  have,  in  common,  leaflets 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Left: 

Whisk  fern,  Psilo turn  nudum,  grows  in  many  tropical  and  sub- 
tropical areas  throughout  the  world.  It  is  one  of  our  most  primi- 
tive ferns.  Rootless,  and  with  inconspicuous  rudimentary  leaflets, 
it  has  defied  evolutionary  changes  for  millions  of  years. 


Right: 

Rattlesnake  fern,  Botrychium  virginianum,  is  among  the  most 
primitive.  Here,  thick-walled  and  stemless  spore  cases  or  sporangia 
are  fused  to  the  stalk.  Originally  spherical,  and  with  equatorial 
slits,  the  sporangia  have  now  opened  to  allow  spores  to  escape 
through  rolled  back  lips.  Occasional  white  spots  are  indicative  of 
a few  remaining  spores. 


with  reflexed  margins  serving  as  indusia. 

In  addition  to  the  shape  of  the  sorus, 
the  indusium  itself  carries  interesting 
identification  features  that  can  be  seen 
with  a magnifying  glass.  Thus  the 
indusium  of  the  female  Athyrium  filix- 
femina  has  irregular  or  toothed  edges. 
Little  glands  appear  on  the  indusium 
of  the  intermediate  shield-fern,  Dry- 
opteris  intermedia,  separating  it  from 
another  very  similar  species.  Various 
members  of  the  genus  Woodsia  have 
their  indusia  coming  from  beneath  the 
sori.  These  indusia  are  streamer-like 
and  as  the  sporangia  increase  in  size 
the  indusia  are  often  lost  to  sight,  mak- 
ing the  fern  appear  to  be  exindusiate. 
Little  flaps  covering  the  sporangia  of 
the  rosy  maindenhair  fern , Adiantum 
hispiduium,  are  covered  with  spines 
that  aid  in  the  identification  of  the 
species. 

The  soral  distribution  pattern  on 
the  underside  of  the  leaf  is  known  as 
the  "fertile  area."  When  this  area  is 


slightly  magnified  it  is  not  only  fasci- 
nating in  appearance  but  as  noted 
before  is  most  helpful  in  identifying 
the  fern.  In  some  cases  this  area  pro- 
vides the  ultimate  in  identification;  in 
others  it  may  serve  as  a positive  key 
and,  when  combined  with  additional 
features,  give  the  final  answer. 

Ferns  like  the  hay-scented  fern, 
Dennstaedtia  punctilobula,  have  little 
inverted  cups  on  the  underside  of  its 
leaves,  each  filled  to  the  brim  with 
easily  seen  sporangia.  This  pattern  of 
the  fertile  area  is  the  only  one  of  its 
kind  in  our  northeastern  states. 

Round  sori  covered  with  prominent 
shield-shaped  indusia  give  a strong  clue 
that  the  fern  is  one  of  our  woodland 
shield  ferns,  members  of  the  large 
genus  of  Dryopteris.  How  the  sori  are 
arranged  on  the  leaflet  also  aids  in  the 
final  analysis. 

Climbing  ferns  belong  to  the  genus 
Lygodium  and  have  an  unusual  soral 
pattern.  As  an  example,  the  Japanese 


climbing  fern,  L.  japonicum,  has  its 
sporangia  covered  with  imbricate  or 
shingle-like  indusia.  Beneath  each 
indusium  a large  egg-shaped  sporangium 
is  present. 

Filmy  ferns  grow  throughout  the 
world.  With  leaf  tissue  only  one  cell 
thick,  constant  moisture  is  required 
for  their  existence.  One  in  particular  is 
Peter's  fern,  Trichomanes  petersii,  a 
native  of  our  southern  states.  This  fern 
has  funnel-like  containers  with  the 
sporangia  attached  to  a central  bristle. 

These  are  but  a few  typical  cases. 
Next  time  you  see  a fern  turn  over  its 
leaves  and  see  if  you  can  interpret  its 
hidden  story. 

• 

F.  Gordon  Foster  is  honorary  curator  of  ferns 
for  Brooklyn  Botanic  Garden;  honorary  fern 
horticulturist  for  New  York  Botanical  Gar- 
den and  honorary  member  of  American  Fern 
Society.  He  won  the  1978  PHS  Distinguished 
Achievement  Medal.  Foster's  book  Ferns  to 
Know  and  Grow,  published  by  Hawthorn 
Books,  Inc.,  NY,  was  reissued  in  a second 
edition  in  1 976. 


13 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Amelanchier  laevis 


,s 


FLOWER, 
FRUIT,  AND 
FALL  FOLIAGE 


by  Diane  M.  Katzaman 


14 


Four  years  ago  I moved  into  a new 
house;  it  had  no  trees  or  shrubs,  much 
less  a lawn.  With  dreams  of  a landscape, 
both  lovely  and  useful,  I set  out  to  find 
plants  that  produced  edible  fruit.  Real- 
izing that  1/6  acre  wasn't  enough 
ground  to  feed  my  family,  I still  wanted 
to  make  the  land  as  productive  as  pos- 
sible. I also  wanted  colorful  surround- 
ings. So,  my  goal  was  to  plant  a land- 
scape that  satisfied  three  requirements: 
flowers,  fruit,  and  fall  color. 

A very  hot  summer  welcomed  us  to 
our  new  house,  and  we  just  managed 
to  mow  the  weeds  the  builder  had  left 
behind.  Fall  planting  ended  disastrously 
I found  that  the  property  was  all  fill. 
The  original  soil  level  was  two  to  six 
feet  under  an  assortment  of  concrete 
blocks,  blacktop,  car  parts,  and  a dash 
of  soil.  Having  discovered  that,  it's 
amazing  that  I tried  to  grow  anything 
at  all. 

During  the  first  winter  I was  enticed 
by  the  nursery  catalogs  I collected. 
They  sold  me  on  plants  I had  never 
seen  before.  After  a few  trips  to  the 
library,  I found  that  reference  books 
supported  the  catalogs'  claims.  Four 
years  later  I still  agree  with  the  catalogs' 
glowing  words  about  their  nursery 
stock. 

However,  I was  still  taking  a gamble, 
for  I had  never  seen  an  amelanchier, 
Nanking  cherry  (Prunus  tomentosa)  or 
sand  cherry  (Prunus  besseyi). 

amelanchier 

A small,  multistemmed  tree,  the 


Amelanchier  laevis  hasseveral  common 
names.  These  include  shadblow,  for 
the  tree  blooms  when  the  shad  swim 
up  the  Delaware  River  to  spawn;  ser- 
viceberry,  for  the  versatile  fruit  that  is 
quite  delicious;  and  Juneberry,  for  the 
same  fruit  that  ripens  in  June.  Sarvis- 
tree  is  another  name  found  in  the  nur- 
sery catalogs. 

The  shadblow  has  several  cousins; 
only  a botanist  could  accurately  identi- 
fy them.  Amelanchier  canadensis \svery 
similar  to  A.  laevis,  and  both  species 
are  used  in  the  nursery  trade. 

A versatile  tree,  the  shadblow  can 
be  used  several  different  ways:  as  a 
specimen  plant,  as  a hedgerow  tree,  as 
a small  tree  in  a woodland  setting,  and 
as  a small  street  tree,  trained  to  one 
trunk. 

A native  tree,  the  shadblow  can  be 
found  in  woods  throughout  the  Dela- 
ware Valley.  In  cultivation  the  tree 
grows  more  compactly,  just  as  a culti- 
vated dogwood  is  better  behaved  in  a 
landscape  than  its  woodland  sister. 
References  state  that  the  shadblow  can 
grow  to  25-30  ft.  tall.  My  trees  have 
been  growing  V/>  to  2 ft.  every  year. 

The  bark  is  light  grey  and  very 
smooth;  it  reminds  me  of  steel.  Wounds 
heal  slowly:  set  the  tree  in  a mulched 
or  ground  cover  bed  to  prevent  lawn 
mower  injury,  which  could  be  fatal. 

Shadblows  are  well-suited  to  grow 
with  other  plants,  such  as  periwinkle 
and  daffodils,  which  surround  mine. 
The  tree's  white  clusters  of  flowers  in 
April  contrast  nicely  with  the  blue  peri- 


winkle blossoms  and  the  yellow  daffo- 
dils. Since  the  tree  is  delicate  (thin 
branches  and  small  leaves),  it  can  be 
planted  against  a wall  or  an  evergreen 
hedge. 

Oranges  and  yellows  color  the  tree 
in  the  fall.  The  small  leaves  make  raking 
unnecessary.  The  leaves  fall  to  the 
ground  and  disappear  into  the  grass  or 
ground  cover. 

nanking  cherry 

My  next  choice  for  flower,  fruit 
and  fall  color  was  the  Nanking  cherry 
(Prunus  tomentosa ).  The  plants  came 
from  a mail-order  nursery  as  small  twigs 
with  a few  bare  roots.  One  year  later 
the  bush  was  covered  with  blossoms  in 
April.  Two  years  later  I had  a row  of 
five-foot,  heavily  branched  shrubs. 

Early  April  blossoms  do  run  the 
risk  of  frost  damage.  Many  other  stone 
fruit  (peaches,  plums,  cherries,  etc.) 
are  also  frequently  damaged  by  a late 
spring  freeze.  So  far,  I've  been  lucky. 

Individual  small  white  flowers  cover 
the  stems  from  ground  level  to  the  tip. 
For  7 to  10  days  the  Nanking  cherry 
looks  like  white  plumes,  growing  from 
the  ground.  A lovely  effect  occurs  in 
early  evening  as  the  sun  catches  the 
blossoms  and  makes  the  plants  sparkle. 

Soon  after  bloom,  the  fruits  become 
visible.  By  harvest  in  June  and  July, 
the  small  red  fruits  seem  to  cling  to 
the  branch,  without  petioles  character- 
istic of  other  cherries. 

Six  to  eight  feet  is  the  final  size  of 
the  Nanking  cherry,  with  a spread 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


photos  by  author 


Denise,  a neighbor's  daughter,  with  shad- 
blow  fruit. 


nearly  that  wide.  The  fall  color  is  yellow 
to  brown,  contributing  a warm  glow  to 
the  hedgerow  where  they  grow. 

This  bush  is  also  attractive  in  the 
winter,  as  it  displays  dark,  reddish 
brown  stems  with  small  white  spots 
(lenticels).  Being  very  twiggy  in 
growth  habit,  the  bushes  will  give 
limited  privacy  even  in  winter. 

prunus  besseyi 

The  third  of  the  edible  trio  is  Prunus 
besseyi,  commonly  known  as  sand 
cherry  or  western.  The  leaves  are  glossy, 
with  a silvery  green  hue.  The  Nanking 
cherry  has  a larger,  more  oval  leaf,  with 
serrated  edges.  This  bush  is  quite  simi- 
lar to  the  Nanking  cherry,  except  for 
three  traits. 

• The  sand  cherry  reaches  a smaller 
height  at  maturity  and  is  a less 
vigorous  grower.  Four  to  five 
feet  will  be  its  final  size. 

• By  blooming  two  to  three  weeks 
later,  the  sand  cherry  is  a much 
more  reliable  plant  for  fruiting. 

• Finally,  I have  found  the  fruit  to 
be  quite  sour  (although  Hortus 
notes  it's  sweet).  It  cannot  be 
eaten  off  the  bush  without  add- 
ing sugar.  The  Nanking  cherry 
has  a tart  flavor,  but  at  full  ripe- 
ness, the  fruit  does  have  a mild 
sweetness. 

Some  extras  of  the  Nanking  and  sand 
cherry  include  their  ability  to  tolerate 
wet  feet.  The  sand  and  Nanking 
cherries  form  a hedgerow  in  my  rear 
yard.  This  area  is  at  the  original  grade 

continued 


Amelanchier  blooming  in  April. 


15 


Blossoms  of  the  Nanking  cherry 


Nanking  cherry 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


FIQWER,  FRUIT,  AND  FALL  FOLIAGE  continued 


Prunus  besseyi,  sand  cherry 


and  is  subject  to  excess  water  that 
requires  two  days  to  drain.  The  shrubs 
do  not  seem  to  mind  this  at  all. 

The  hedgerow  also  receives  north- 
west winds  from  an  open  playing  field. 
Yet,  the  sand  cherry  and  Nanking  bloom 
every  spring,  both  being  listed  as  hardy 
plants. 

Considered  together,  the  Nanking 
and  sand  cherry  are  at  their  best  as  a 
hedge.  Since  they  will  not  get  very 
large,  pruning  will  not  be  necessary. 
Plant  more  than  one  of  each  type,  for 
pollination  and  fruit  set  will  be  im- 
proved. Because  the  Nanking  and  sand 
cherry  bloom  at  different  times,  they 
will  not  pollinate  each  other.  These 
plants  do  prefer  full  sun,  unlike  the 
shadblow,  which  does  well  in  partial 
shade. 

pests  and  diseases 

Some  insects  do  enjoy  eating  these 
plants.  A local  infestation  of  bagworms 
plagues  me  yearly.  Japanese  beetles 
also  enjoy  the  leaves.  An  occasional 
spray  in  late  June  and  July  with  mala- 
thion  or  carbaryl  (Sevin)  will  control 
the  insects.  After  an  application  of  the 
milky  spore  disease  to  my  lawn  two 
years  ago,  it  seems  that  there  are  fewer 
Japanese  beetles  attacking  the  plants. 
Another  biological  control  of  these  in- 
sects would  be  hand  picking. 

Tip  borers  cause  the  branch  tips  to 
die.  All  I do  is  prune  below  the  borer 
and  discard  the  clippings. 

A fungus  disease,  brown  rot,  can 
infect  the  cherries.  Wet,  humid  springs 


encourage  this  disease  common  to  all 
stone  fruit.  Weekly  sprays  with  captan 
or  benomyl  fungicides  will  helpcontrol 
brown  rot.  Brown  rot  causes  the  fruit 
to  turn  brown,  and  this  disease  can 
quickly  destroy  all  the  fruit  just  before 
harvest. 

soil  preparation 

Another  problem  of  these  plants 
was  the  proper  preparation  of  the  soil 
for  planting.  As  each  hole  was  dug 
with  a pickax,  no  quantity  of  soil  was 
removed,  just  rocks,  blacktop,  cement, 
and  bricks.  Extra  large  and  deep  holes 
were  carved  out  of  the  ground,  and 
purchased  topsoil  refilled  the  holes.  A 
handful  of  bone  meal  was  added  to 
each  hole.  I didn't  use  much  peat  moss 
or  other  organic  matter,  because  I 
feared  that  the  mixture  of  soil  and  peat 
moss  would  settle  too  much. 

Some  of  the  plants  were  not  planted 
in  generous  holes,  for  I became  lazy  at 
the  day's  end.  So  far,  the  shrubs  plant- 
ed in  the  best  prepared  holes  have 
grown  much  better  than  the  others. 

The  gamble  of  planting  unfamiliar 
plants  in  poor  soil  has  paid  off  very 
well.  All  of  them,  the  shadblow,  the 
Nanking  and  the  sand  cherries,  bear 
delicious  fruit. 

There's  another  plus.  Because  of 
the  edible  fruit,  wildlife  are  attracted 
to  the  plants.  Always  plant  an  extra 
tree  or  bush,  so  the  birds  can  enjoy 
their  share  of  delicious  fruit. 

• 


Cherry  Juice  from 
the  Nanking  Cherry 

Wash  and  crush.  Simmer  cherries 
until  soft.  Strain  through  cotton 
flannel,  jelly  bag,  or  four  layers  of 
cheese  cloth.  Twist  the  two  ends  of 
the  bag  to  extract  more  juice. 

According  to  taste,  add  one  to 
two  cups  of  sugar  to  each  gallon  of 
juice.  The  juice  must  be  refrigerated, 
and  can  keep  for  a few  weeks  before 
using. 

I have  also  used  a juice  extractor, 
which  is  similar  to  a double  boiler, 
but  there  are  three  sections.  As  the 
fruit  is  steam  heated,  the  juice  is 
released  from  the  fruit.  The  juice 
then  flows  out  of  a tube  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  top  pan.  Because  juice 
extractors  differ  according  to  brand, 
follow  the  manufacturer's  directions. 

Cherry  Syrup  for  use  on 
pancakes,  ice  cream,  etc. 

Follow  the  above  directions,  but 
use  equal  amounts  of  sugar  to 
amount  of  fruit  heated.  Makes  a 
very  sweet  and  thin  syrup. 

Shadblow  Fruit  Pie 

Since  the  fruit  has  very  small 
seeds,  it  can  be  treated  as  blueberries. 

4 cups  fruit 

1 cup  sugar 

4 tablespoons  flour 
1/8  teaspoon  salt 

V/2  tablespoons  lemon  juice 

1 recipe  plain  pastry,  double 
crust 

Mix  berries  with  sugar,  flour,  salt 
and  lemon  juice.  Line  a 9-in.  pie  pan 
with  pastry.  Pour  in  filling  and  cover 
with  top  crust.  Bake  at  450°F  for 
10  minutes,  then  reduce  tempera- 
ture to  350°F  and  bake  20  to  30 
minutes  longer. 


Diane  Katzaman  is  a former  county  agent  of 
the  cooperative  extension  service  in  Bucks 
County.  She  is  now  a graduate  student  at 
the  Wharton  School  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania.  She  plans  to  continue  garden- 
ing as  a hobby. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


The 

Lardizabala 
Family 

(j^)  by  John  M.  Fogg,  Jr. 

It  has  frequently  been  observed  that 
many  of  the  smallest  plant  groups  have 
the  longest  and  most  unpronounceable 
names.  This  is  probably  due  in  part  to 
the  fact  that  the  larger  and  more  famil- 
iar ones  were  recognized  long  ago  and 
were  accorded  shorter  and  less  formid- 
able epithets. 

The  Lardizabalaceae  was  established 
in  1847  by  the  English  botanist,  John 
Lindley,  who  took  its  name  from  the 
genus  Lardizabala , a native  of  Chile. 

The  generic  name  honors  M.  Lardi- 
zabal  y Uribe,  a Spanish  naturalist,  born 
in  1744. 

The  family  is  usually  credited  with 
consisting  of  seven  genera  and  about  30 
species  that  are  native  to  the  Himalayas, 
eastern  Asia  and  South  America.  Decais- 
nea,  Stauntonia,  Holboellia , Parvatia 
and  Akebia  are  indigenous  to  the  Far 
East,  while  Boquila  and  Lardizabala 
are  natives  of  Chile. 

Although  most  of  the  members  of 
thisfamily  come  from  the  warmer  parts 
of  the  world  and  would  scarcely  be 
expected  to  withstand  the  rigors  of 
our  Philadelphia  winters,  two  genera 
and  three  species  have  proved  hardy 
with  us  and  are  the  subjects  of  the 

continued 


following  comments. 

Akebia.  A genus  of  deciduous  or 
semi-evergreen  climbing  or  twining 
shrubs  with  palmately  compound  leaves. 

It  contains  two  species,  both  native  to 

eastern  Asia,  and  was  first  described 

by  Joseph  Decaisne  who  took  its  name 

from  the  Japanese  vernacular  "akebi."  17 

The  flowers  in  Akebia  areunisexual, 
but  the  plants  are  said  to  be  monoeci- 
ous, with  the  female  (carpellate)  at  the 
base  and  the  male  (staminate)  at  the 
ends  of  the  axillary  racemes.  There  are 
no  petals,  but  the  elliptic,  slightly  fra- 
grant sepals  are  rosy-purple  in  the 
female  flowers  and  purplish-brown  in 
the  males  ones.  The  fruit  is  an  oblong, 
flattened  pod  which  contains  several 
rows  of  blackish  seeds  embedded  in  a 
somewhat  viscous  matrix. 

A.  quinata.  This  species,  by  far  the 
commoner  of  the  two,  is  a vigorous 
climber  with  leaves  palmately  divided 
into  five  oblong  leaflets  (Fig.  1).  Reh- 
der  (Manual  of  Cultivated  Trees  and 
Shrubs,  ed.  2)  states  that  this  plant 
was  introduced  (probably  into  Europe) 
in  1845,  that  it  has  fragrant  dark- 
colored  flowers  in  the  spring  (Fig.  2), 


Lardizabala 


continued 


Figure  2.  The  dark  colored  flowers  of  Akebia  quinata 


18 


Figure  4.  Akebia  trifoliata  leaflets 


Figure  3.  Seeds  — Akebia  quinata 


but  that  the  showy  fruits  are  rarely 
produced  in  cultivation. 

Many  years  ago  the  late  Laura  L. 
Barnes  gave  us  a plant  of  this  species. 
We  set  it  out  at  the  base  of  a sweet-gum 
(Liquidambar  styraciflua ) on  our 
home  lawn.  It  grew  rapidly  and  soon 

Akebia  quinata  has  become  well 
established  at  several  places  in 
the  valley  of  the  Wissahickon 
Creek  and  one  can  only  hope 
that  it  never  rivals  Lonicera 
japonica  as  a suffocating  weed. 

was  lost  to  sight  high  up  in  the  crown 
of  the  "host”  tree.  We  knew  it  was 
there,  however,  because  every  spring 
the  ground  beneath  the  tree  would  be 
covered  with  the  brownish  male  peri- 
anth segments.  Then,  one  day,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1962,  we  were  amazed  to  find 
on  the  ground  three  somewhat  flattened 
purse-like  pods.  These,  when  opened, 
were  found  to  contain  numerous  seeds 
embedded  in  a sticky  mass  which  re- 
minded us  of  frog  spawn  (Fig.  3).  Never 
again  has  our  plant  produced  fruit. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Figure  5.  Decaisnea  fargesii  Figure  6.  Fruit  of  Decaisnea  fargesii 


The  tendency  of  A.  quinata  to 
become  an  aggressive  weed  has  long 
been  recognized.  At  the  arboretum  we 
have  to  keep  pruning  it  severely  to  pre- 
vent it  from  completely  taking  over 
our  small  vine  collection.  It  has  become 
well  established  at  several  places  in  the 
valley  of  the  Wissahickon  Creek  and 
one  can  only  hope  that  it  never  rivals 
Lonicera  japonica  as  a suffocating  weed. 

A.  trifoliata.  In  sharp  contrast  to 
the  preceding,  this  species  has  leaves 
that  are  three-parted,  the  leaflets  often 
sinuately  margined  (Fig.  4).  It  is  appar- 
ently far  less  common  in  cultivation 
than  A.  quinata,  and  we  had  reached 
the  conclusion  that  it  is  less  hardy. 
Rehder  says,  "Probably  tenderer."  We 
were  therefore  delighted  when,  in  the 
summer  of  1977,  Dorothy  Bemis 
brought  us  a specimen,  saying  that  it 
was  rampant  over  her  garage  in  a nearby 
suburb.  Elizabeth  Farley,  the  propa- 
gator at  the  Arboretum,  has  success- 
fully rooted  material  of  this  species 
and  it  now  occupies  a place  beside  its 
congener  in  our  vine  collection. 

All  of  our  efforts  to  pollinate  these 


two  species  have  met  with  failure,  but 
we  shall  continue  in  the  attempt. 

Decaisnea.  This  genus  is  represented 
by  two  species  in  the  Himalayas  and 
western  China.  Unlike  Akebia,  it  is  a 
shrub  with  pinnately  compound  leaves. 
Its  flowers  also  are  strikingly  different 
(Fig.  5),  both  genera  are  apetalous,  but 
whereas  the  sepals  of  Akebia  are  ellip- 
tic and  purplish,  those  of  Decaisnea 
are  lanceolate  and  greenish-yelldw. 

Our  plant  is  D.  fargesii,  obtained 
from  the  Kingsville  Nurseries,  Kings- 
ville, Maryland,  in  1968.  It  is  a robust 
specimen,  at  least  2 m.  (6  ft.)  tall, 
which  flowers  and  fruits  abundantly. 

Most  reference  works  state  that  this 
genus  is  polygamous,  that  is,  a single 
plant  may  bear  both  unisexual  and  bi- 
sexual flowers.  There  is  not  the  slight- 
est doubt  concerning  the  self-perpetu- 
ating nature  of  our  specimen. 

Some  authors  say  that  the  fruit  in 
this  genus  is  a fleshy  follicle  (Fig.  6). 
Now,  a follicle  is  usually  defined  as  a 
dry  dehiscent  fruit  which  splits  only 
along  one  suture.  A familiar  example  is 
the  pod  of  the  common  milkweed 


(Asclepias).  To  the  best  of  our  knowl- 
edge the  fruits  of  the  Arboretum's 
specimen  never  split,  but  remain  on 
the  plant  until  far  into  December,  at 
which  time  they  fall  to  the  ground 
where  presumably,  the  fruit-coat  rots 
away,  releasing  the  numerous  brown, 
flattish  seeds.  It  would  seem  that  such 
authors  as  L.  H.  Bailey  (Manual  of 
Cultivated  Plants,  ed.  2)  are  more  cor- 
rect in  regarding  this  fruit  as  a berry. 

These  observations  have  been  pre- 
pared to  call  the  attention  of  growers 
in  the  Delaware  Valley  to  the  features 
of  several  unusual  plants  that  should 
be  better  known  and  more  widely 
grown.  One  word  of  warning:  If  you 
decide  to  introduce  Akebia  quinata 
into  your  garden,  please  give  it  plenty 
of  room. 

• 

John  M.  Fogg,  Jr.,  is  emeritus  professor  of 
botany  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
where  he  taught  for  over  40  years.  He  served 
as  director  of  the  University's  Morris  Arbo- 
retum from  1954  to  1966  and  in  1966 
became  director  of  the  Arboretum  of  the 
Barnes  Foundation. 


19 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


20 


Stepping  stones  from  the 
wild  make  this  path  through 
the  Crosby  rock  garden. 


My  childhood  dream  was  to  build 
and  operate  a railroad.  Lacking  the 
land,  capital,  and  expertise  for  fulfill- 
ment, I became  absorbed  in  a cheap 
substitute:  building  paths.  I am  still  at 
it,  and  shall  continue  as  long  as  I have 
a hoe  and  a No.  2 shovel.  Our  35  acres 
in  Bucks  County  are  full  of  opportuni- 
ties, but  much  can  be  done  on  a sub- 
urban lot. 

A path  should  be  a means  of  access 
and  an  invitation.  It  should  move 
people,  not  suffer  them  to  snore  over 
the  Sunday  paper.  The  moving  won't 
be  easy  unless  the  path  is  easy.  In  pub- 


Alexander  L.  Crosby 

lie  gardens,  paths  are  built  with  asphalt 
(an  abomination,  but  it  works),  bricks, 
gravel,  cinders,  stone  chips,  and  wood 
chips,  often  with  a foundation  compar- 
able to  that  for  an  interstate  highway. 

The  homeowner  has  more  choices, 
and  they  are  usually  cheaper.  Grass  is  a 
happy  solution  for  the  perennial  garden. 
Old  bricks  set  in  sand  make  a handsome 
path,  but  there  will  always  be  some 
trouble  with  weeds  and  with  heaving 
from  frost.  Wood  chips  are  excellent. 
They  could  be  had  for  the  asking  a few 
years  ago,  when  the  Asplundh  crews 
were  looking  for  nearby  dumping  sites. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


photos  by  Alexander  L.  Crosby 


So  many  gardeners  are  now  looking 
for  wood  chips  that  a $20  bill  is  useful 
in  establishing  priority. 

Our  perennial  garden  has  only  four 
straight  paths,  totaling  some  110  ft. 
They  are  bordered  with  treated  4 x 4's 
that  were  guaranteed  to  outlast  me. 
We  raised  the  beds  by  excavating  6 in. 
of  topsoil  (the  best  on  our  land)  from 
the  pathways,  which  were  then  filled 
with  wood  chips.  Although  we  have 
added  fresh  chips  each  year,  decay 
below  has  made  a good  nursery  for 
seedling  weeds  and  trees.  The  next  job 


will  be  to  remove  all  of  the  chips  to  a 
compost  pile  and  put  in  fresh  ones. 

Paths  through  fields  and  woods  are 
the  most  interesting.  The  walker  sees 
more  when  he  is  not  pushing  his  way 
through  goldenrod,  brush,  and  other 
obstacles.  Our  main  path  crosses  100 
yards  of  a swampy  area  to  Hickon 
Creek,  where  we  like  to  take  our  lunch 
in  September  and  enjoy  the  cardinal 
flower.  Building  this  path  required 
some  50  wheelbarrow  loads  of  clay 
and  ordinary  dirt,  hauled  by  two  of 
the  neighborhood  boys.  (The  dirt  had 


been  piled  nearby  when  a backhoe 
operator  dug  a ditch  to  divert  a wood- 
land stream  to  our  pond.)  At  first  the 
dirt  fill  was  so  soft  that  the  deer 
punched  holes  in  it,  but  gradually  the 
path  was  hoof-packed. 

To  provide  for  drainage,  we  installed 
short  lengths  of  4-in.  pipe  beneath  the 
path  at  several  points.  The  choice  of 
pipe  was  a mistake;  the  small  pipes 
easily  clog  with  leaves  and  twigs,  and 
water  from  heavy  rains  or  melting 
snow  then  washes  over  the  path.  Some 
day  the  pipes  will  be  replaced  with 

continued 


Wood  chips  form  this  walkway  in  the  Crosby  perennial  garden 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


able  rock  in  place  on  his  side  of  the 
chiseled  groove  and  let  the  curbstone 
fall.  The  break  was  clean.  Peanuts 
hauled  the  two  halves  to  the  intake 
ditch  for  the  pond  and  laid  them  side 
by  side  in  the  dirt.  The  bridge  was 
finished. 

Path-building  reveals  and  sometimes 
ameliorates  the  natural  changes  of  the 
landscape.  When  we  moved  to  our  place 
in  1960,  an  eight-acre  field  along  Cali- 
fornia Road  was  mostly  open.  Each 
summer  it  was  white  with  penstemon 
and  sparkling  with  cobwebs  on  dewy 
mornings.  We  didn't  know  this  field 
intimately,  so  I made  a path  through  it, 
clearing  the  narrow-leaved  dogwood 
that  was  taking  over,  preserving  the 
Washington  hawthorns,  and  adding 
some  hemlocks  near  the  highway. 

In  September,  when  the  path  had 
been  finished  and  its  native  grasses  had 
been  mowed  two  or  three  times,  we 
discovered  a colony  of  hundreds  of 
closed  gentians.  Within  a few  years 
they  would  have  been  smothered  by 
the  narrow-leaved  dogwoods,  which  in 
turn  would  have  been  smothered  by 
the  ashes,  maples,  elms,  and  hickories. 
So  we  did  some  careful  brush-cutting 
on  behalf  of  the  gentians,  and  they  are 
still  with  us.  I like  to  watch  a bumble 
bee  force  his  way  into  the  blossom, 
disappear,  and  then  back  out. 

Occasionally  we  add  native  plants 
along  the  paths.  Marsh  marigolds, 
rescued  from  the  route  of  a highway 
bypass,  are  living  more  securely  by  one 
of  the  stone  bridges.  A crested  shield 
fern  has  thrived  for  years  beside  an  old 
stump,  and  I filled  a split  log  with 
black  dirt  for  polypody— which  would 
have  preferred  a rock. 

The  width  of  a path  should  be  what- 
ever looks  right,  works  well,  and  does 
not  require  excessive  labor  or  space. 
Cows  move  freely  on  trails  no  wider 
than  12  in.,  but  people  and  wheel- 
barrows need  more  room.  A few  senti- 
mentalists provide  enough  space  for 
male  and  female  to  walk  side  by  side, 
he  with  a tight  hold  to  prevent  slippage. 
More  liberal  designers  leave  a margin 
between  the  strollers,  and  place  a bench 
where  friendships  may  ripen. 

• 

Alexander  L.  Crosby  is  a freelance  writer 
of  children's  books  and  miscellaneous 
publications. 


yV  ZrlfvL  cJcVuUtL 


continued 


A heavy  curbstone  was  broken  in  half  and  the  two  pieces  laid  side  by  side  for  this  bridge. 


6-in.  ones. 

When  bridges  are  necessary,  as  for 
crossing  drainage  ditches,  I use  stone. 
The  French  Creek  Granite  Company  at 
St.  Peter's  used  to  have  an  assortment 
of  polished  slabs  which  were  about  the 
size  of  early  19th  century  tombstones; 
they  had  been  cut  for  building  use, 
and  then  rejected  for  defects.  They 
sold  for  50cf  a sq.  ft.  I bought  half  a 
dozen,  and  they  have  made  handsome 
bridges.  On  a frosty  morning,  however. 


it  is  safer  to  jump  the  ditch. 

Our  longest  stone  bridge  was  origi- 
nally a granite  curbstone  in  Quaker- 
town,  18  ft.  long,  16  in.  deep,  and 
about  7 in.  thick.  Two  veteran  masons 
worked  an  hour  trying  to  break  the 
stone  in  half  with  hammers  and  chisels. 
A young  backhoe  operator  named  Pea- 
nuts had  watched  impatiently.  Finally 
the  masons  gave  up.  Peanuts  hitched  a 
chain  to  one  end  of  the  curbstone, 
raised  it  about  six  feet,  then  put  a siz- 


the green  scene  • sept.  1979 


photo  by  author 


TIARELLA  - FOAMFLOWER 


Thomas  Buchter 


Tiarella  cordifolia,  commonly  known 
as  foamflower  or  false  miterwort,  is  a 
member  of  the  Saxifrage  family,  closely 
related  to  Astilbe,  Saxifraga,  Heuchera 
and  Mitella.  The  name  Tiarella  is  from 
the  diminutive  of  the  Greek  word  tiara, 
meaning  a turban  or  high  hat,  and 
refers  to  the  shape  of  the  pistil.  Cordi- 
folia refers  to  the  cordate  or  heart- 
shaped  leaf. 

There  are  recognized  variations  in 
the  species,  perhaps  more  of  botanical 


interest  than  horticultural  interest.  In 
Gray's  Manual  of  Botany  three  forms 
of  Tiarella  are  listed.  Forma  parviflora 
—a  small  flowered  form;  forma  triden- 
tata  refers  to  a form  with  petals  that 
are  three-toothed;  forma  subaequalis 
refers  to  the  near  equal  length  of  the 
valves  of  the  seed  capsule. 

The  foliage  of  foamflower  grows  to 
a height  of  2 to  3 in.  and  will  form  large 
colonies  under  good  conditions.  Leaves 
persist  through  the  winter,  often  chang- 

continued 


Tiarella  cordifolia 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


TIARELLA  - FOAMFFOWER  continued 


ing  to  shades  of  pink.  White  flowers 
are  produced  in  May  on  racemes  12  in. 
tall.  After  flowering,  new  leaves  and 
plantlets  are  formed  on  aestival  run- 
ners that  grow  from  crowns  produced 
the  previous  year.  This  loosely  knit 
ground  cover  allows  perennials  to  grow 
freely  with  the  foamflower  while  dis- 
couraging annual  weeds. 

Propagation  of  foamflower  can  be 
accomplished  in  a variety  of  ways.  Seed 
collected  and  sown  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe 
and  placed  in  a cold  frame  will  germi- 
nate the  following  spring. 

Tiarella  propagates  readily  from 
division  in  early  spring  or  late  summer. 
Dividing  in  early  spring  before  growth 
has  started  will  give  plants  a chance  to 
reestablish  before  hot  weather.  Plants 
divided  in  late  summer  may  need  more 
attention,  watering  if  there  is  a pro- 
longed hot  spell.  Winter  protection  of 
Tiarella  transplanted  in  late  summer 
may  be  necessary.  Roots  may  not  have 
sufficiently  reestablished  to  prevent 
heaving  of  the  newly  divided  plants. 

Propagation  by  cuttings  helps  the 
gardener  to  increase  stock  quickly. 
Runners  cut  from  the  main  plant  in 
midsummer,  cut  into  6-in.  lengths, 


inserted  in  a pot  of  half  sand  and  half 
peat,  will  root  readily.  Cuttings  should 
be  placed  in  a shaded  frame.  After  cut- 
tings have  rooted  they  can  be  given 
more  light  to  encourage  more  root  and 
leaf  growth.  It  is  best  to  leave  cuttings 
undisturbed  in  the  pot  until  the  follow- 
ing spring.  In  early  spring  the  well 
rooted  cuttings  can  be  planted  directly 
into  the  garden.  Rooted  cuttings 
planted  in  the  fall  have  a high  mortal- 
ity rate  due  to  the  limited  time  the 
plants  have  to  establish  sufficiently  to 
withstand  winter  conditions. 

Tiarella  is  native  to  rich  woodlands 
from  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  to 
southern  Ontario,  Michigan,  Nova 
Scotia,  and  New  England,  and  in  the 
mountains  south  to  North  Carolina 
and  Tennessee.  As  with  many  native 
plants  living  in  natural  conditions,  wild 
flowers  compete  for  light,  water,  and 
nutrients,  and  often  cannot  give  a full 
account  of  their  horticultural  potential. 
When  brought  into  the  garden  and 
given  good  cultural  conditions,  however 
flowering  and  growth  habits  improve 
considerably.  Many  native  plants 
become  reliable  and  highly  ornamental 
additions  to  the  garden  when  freed 


from  competition. 

Two  areas  in  the  garden  where 
Tiarella  can  be  used  effectively  are  the 
shady  garden  and  the  perennial  border. 
In  the  shady  garden  it  thrives  in  rich 
soil  shaded  by  large  trees,  allowing 
filtered  sunlight  to  strike  the  ground. 

If  planted  under  low  growing  shrubs  in 
the  shady  garden,  Tiarella  will  grow 
poorly.  Most  shade-loving  plants  will  do 
this  because  light  intensity  is  too  low, 
and  root  competition  with  shrubs  is 
too  high.  Foamflower  mixes  well  with 
most  plants  in  the  shady  garden  such 
as  Trillium,  Hosta,  Primula,  and  most 
ferns.  Avoid  ferns  that  spread  rapidly, 
e.g.,  hay-scented  fern. 

In  the  perennial  border,  tiarella  can 
be  used  where  the  soil  is  neither  sun- 
baked nor  excessively  dry.  Flower  dis- 
play is  excellent  when  the  plant  is  used 
in  front  of  the  border.  Growth  habit 
and  flower  color  make  it  a good  plant- 
ing partner  with  many  perennials.  One 
combination  to  consider  is  Tiarella 
with  Dicentra  spectabilis— bleeding 
heart.  Blooming  at  the  same  time,  the 
white  and  pink  are  a pleasant  color 
combination.  When  the  Dicentra  dies 
down  in  mid-summer,  the  persistent 
foliage  of  the  Tiarella  carpets  the  area 
covered  by  the  Dicentra. 

Another  plant  that  can  be  added  to 
this  combination  is  Allium  flavum 
'Minor.'  Planted  throughout  the  area 
covered  by  Tiarella,  the  yellow  mid- 
summer flowers,  although  not  identical, 
repeat  the  flowering  style  of  Tiarella. 
The  foliage  is  quite  slender  and  the 
Allium  is  hardly  noticeable  until  it 
flowers. 

Consider  using  foamflower  and 
other  native  plants.  They  can  be  a 
permanent  addition  to  the  garden, 
meeting  a variety  of  needs  from  deli- 
cate detail  to  creating  broad  brush 
strokes  of  color,  making  the  garden 
interesting  and  exciting. 


Thomas  Buchter  is  Associate  Director  of  the 
Henry  Foundation.  A member  of  PHS,  he 
serves  on  the  Library  Committee.  As  a horti 
cultural  consultant,  he  works  with  home- 
owners  to  help  them  select  plants  for  prob- 
lem areas,  and  with  garden  maintenance. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


THE  STATE!  Y SCHOLAR 


Years  of  humid  summer  days  ago, 
my  wife,  Mimi,  and  I used  to  go  plant 
shopping  at  Longwood  Gardens.  This 
means  we  would  rummage  among  the 
Longwood  goodies,  like  a dowager 
going  at  a box  of  bonbons,  select  new 
plants  to  try,  new  trees  to  plant,  then 
look  for  them  in  catalogs. 

One  August  afternoon,  as  we  wan- 
dered beneath  some  trees  on  the  path 
to  the  Italian  gardens,  we  suddenly 
realized  we  were  amid  a sound  that 
was  heavy,  ominous  and  roughly  simi- 
lar to  the  RAF  of  World  War  1 1 revving 
up  for  a bombing  run.  The  pulsating 
hum  and  throb  was  so  startling  that 
some  other  visitors  were  alarmed  and 
fled. 

Our  instinct  is  to  explore  before 
running.  This  may  one  day  be  the 
death  of  us,  but,  between  now  and 
then,  we  won't  miss  anything.  We  dis- 
covered that  the  air  was  full  of  honey- 
bees and  that  They  were  not  being 
drawn  by  flowers  at  ground  level  but 
by  something  in  the  trees. 

To  learn  what  could  be  in  several 
60-foot  trees  in  August  that  would 
draw  honeybees  in  almost  a swarming 
density,  we  had  to  move  off  until  we 
could  get  a distant  view  of  these  trees. 
We  found,  to  our  astonishment,  that 
the  trees  were  in  full  bloom.  They  had 
a blossom— or  collection  of  blooms— 
arranged  similarly  to  the  blooms  of 
wisteria,  only  not  so  large.  Rather  than 
being  lavender,  these  blooms  were 
greenish  white,  and  each  bloom  was  a 
miniature  of  the  sweet  pea  blossom. 

We  rushed  back  to  see  what  this 
August  blooming  tree  could  be. 

The  label  said:  "Scholar  Tree.  So- 
phora  japonica. " 

Sometime  later  Mimi  found  a cata- 
log that  offered  Sophora  japonica  sap- 
lings. The  catalog  was  loquacious  on 
the  beauty  and  attractiveness  of  the 
tree,  but  vague  about  its  preferences  in 
soil,  exposure,  fertilizing,  and  sunlight. 
Nevertheless,  we  ordered  one. 

The  Bush-Browns,  from  whom  we 
were  taking  most  of  our  early  guidance, 
advised  that  Sophora  liked  rich  soil  and 
wished  to  be  protected  from  the  wind. 
To  them,  its  common  name  was  Chin- 


(^)  by  Edwin  A.  Peeples 

ese  scholar  tree.  Most  other  sources 
agreed  that  the  tree  originated  in 
China,  and  everybody  agreed  that  it 
ultimately  grew  to  80  ft.,  a fact  that 
should  govern  placement,  even  if  the 
planter  won't  be  around  to  view  the 
ultimate  majesty.  But  trust  the  Japan- 
ese to  get  into  the  act.  Though  intro- 
duced into  England  about  200  years 
ago,  Sophora  didn't  really  begin  to 


“Sophora  grows  well  under  al- 
most any  conditions,  including 
poor,  rocky,  dry  soils.  It  with- 
stands city  and  seacoast  condi- 
tions and  is  comparatively  free 
from  pests  and  disease." 


grow  popular  until  after  World  War  II. 
As  soon  as  that  happened,  it  began  to 
be  called  the  Japanese  pagoda  tree, 
hence,  japonica,  instead  of  sinensis.  It 
is  astonishing  how  many  plants,  which 
actually  originated  somewhere  else,  are 
japonica,  owing  to  the  zeal  of  the 
Japanese. 

The  Pictorial  Encyclopaedia  of 
Plants  and  Flowers,  by  Paul  Hamlin, 
told  us  that  Sophora  japonica  is  a 
member  of  the  pea  family,  Legumi- 
nosae.  That  accounts  for  the  pea-like 
blossoms  and,  according  to  Hamlin's 
pictures,  its  fruit,  which  looks  like  a 
cross  between  a green  pea  pod  and  a 
snap  bean. 

Taylor's  Garden  Guide  calls  Sophora 
the  latest  blooming  of  all  flowering 
trees  and  sets  its  blooming  time  as  mid- 
August,  which  is  when  we  saw  it  at 
Longwood,  ablaze  with  flowers  and 
bees.  Taylor  encouraged  us  with  the 
news  thatSop/torais  hardy  as  far  north 
as  Boston.  The  Encyclopaedia  of  Trees, 
Shrubs,  Vines  and  Lawns,  scouting  the 
rich  soil  dictum,  said  the  tree  will  thrive 
in  well-drained,  sandy  loam  varying 
from  moist  to  dry.  Finally,  the  Brook- 
lyn Botanic  Garden  Record  really  came 
to  grips  with  the  problem:  "Sophora 
grows  well  under  almost  any  condi- 
tions, including  poor,  rocky,  dry  soils. 
It  withstands  city  and  seacoast  condi- 


tions and  is  comparatively  free  from 
pests  and  disease." 

Brooklyn  could  not  have  foreseen 
the  pest  we  inadvertently  wished  on  it. 
We  planted  our  sapling  in  a stretch  of 
recent  fill  we  were  trying  to  convert  to 
lawn.  It  attracted  the  attention  of  our 
Irish  setter.  Every  time  a few  leaves 
came  out,  our  setter  would  stand 
thoughtfully  and  chew  them  off,  rather 
like  an  old  man  picking  his  teeth. 

Not  because  we  ever  expected  to 
have  a 60  foot,  bee-gorged  miracle, 
but  purely  out  of  compassion,  we 
girded  our  Sophora  with  a cylinder  of 
page  wire  that  held  the  setter  at  bay. 
Our  hapless  specimen  survived  despite 
the  setter  and  the  soil  in  which  we  had 
planted  it:  hardpan  enriched  with 
boulders. 

Presently,  we  built  a terrace  in  such 
a position  that  our  Sophora  was  always 
stage  center.  By  now  the  tree  had 
grown  to  six  feet  and  had  fans  of  light, 
delicate  leaves,  such  as  the  leaves  of 
the  honey  locust,  Gleditsia  triacanthos. 

Would  it  ever  bloom?  If  so,  when? 

Not  until  five  years  ago,  when  it 
had  reached  20  ft.  We  noticed  in  July 
of  that  year  small  racemes  of  lightish 
green  punctuating  the  darker  sprays  of 
leaves.  These  clusters  proved  to  be 
buds  which  kept  growing  and  spreading 
in  a fashion  similar  to  the  growth  of 
lilac  buds,  except  that  these  did  not 
bloom  in  a dense  cluster  but  kept 
spreading  to  become  slender  panicles. 

We  expected  the  blossoming  to 
come  late  in  July.  It  seemed  improb- 
able that  a blossoming  process  could 
take  a full  four  weeks,  from  the  first 
suggestion  of  buds  forming  to  the  final 
flowering,  especially  in  the  warm, 
damp  heat  of  July  and  August,  but  it 
did.  Not  until  a morning  around  the 
15th  of  August  did  we  see  our  first 
flowers.  They  were  so  small,  and  their 
white  so  tinged  with  green  that  we 
couldn't  be  sure,  until  we  went  very 
close,  that  we  were  actually  seeing 
flowers  and  not  imagining  them. 

As  is  typical  of  blooming  panicles, 
Sophora  starts  blooming  at  the  bottom, 
or  stem  end,  and  blooms  to  the  top, 
and  it  does  this  as  gradually  as  it  forms 

continued 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


STATELY  SCHOLAR  continued 


Sophora  japonica 


buds.  The  early  blooms  mature  and 
drop  away  long  before  the  last  buds 
have  bloomed.  The  whole  process  takes 
another  three  weeks.  All  the  while,  be- 
neath the  tree,  a gentle  rain  of  green- 
ish white  sifts  down.  And  I found  it 
pleasant  to  suppose  that  Chinese 
scholars  stood  pensive  in  other  such 
rains  of  delicate  petals,  absorbing  some 
special  benizen  from  a tree  whose  pro- 
cesses were  as  deliberate,  subtle  and 
perfected  as  the  philosophy  of  Lao-Tse, 
as  typified  in  this  observation: 

The  prudent  man  avoids  all  suspi- 
cious appearance. 

He  does  not  adjust  his  hat  under  a 
plum  tree,  nor  in  a melon  patch, 
pull  up  his  socks, 

Moderate  your  brilliance  and  diffi- 
culties will  disappear. 

Seen  from  our  terrace,  the  upper 
tree  was  an  ethereal  cloud  of  pale  char- 
treuse. The  perfume  was  a light,  sweet 
pea  fragrance.  As  the  tree  stood  be- 
tween us  and  the  prevailing  summer 
winds,  it  bathed  us  with  waves  of  scent, 
like  Castille  soap  in  a warm  shower. 
We  only  lacked  the  concentration  of 
bees,  probably  because  we  had  no 
honeybee  hives  nearby.  There  were  a 
few  honeybees,  and  there  were  masses 
of  other  bees,  butterflies  and  other 
pollinating  insects. 

We  were  jubilant.  We  are  always 
jubilant  when  we  more  or  less  match 
something  Longwood  Gardens  have 
done.  Now  we  would  have  a tree  that 
blossomed  beautifully  every  August, 


or  so  we  thought. 

But  the  next  August,  it  didn't 
bloom  beyond  having  a few  panicles. 
Since  then,  we  notice  it  blooms  vigor- 
ously in  alternate  years,  as  the  trees  of 
yellow  delicious  apples  do.  It  also  puts 
out  a good  deal  of  tentative  growth  in 
the  form  of  small  twigs  that  spring, 


"The  prudent  man  avoids  all  sus- 
picious appearance. 

He  does  not  adjust  his  hat  under 
a plum  tree,  nor  in  a melon 
patch,  pull  up  his  socks. 

Moderate  your  brilliance  and  diffi- 
culties will  disappear." 


like  porcupine  quills,  in  all  directions 
from  limbs  and  trunk.  Most  of  this 
growth,  especially  the  part  that  shows 
after  about  the  middle  of  July,  dies 
when  winter  comes.  Much  of  it  can  be 
brushed  off;  the  rest,  clipped. 

The  natural  shape  of  Sophora, 
according  to  all  of  the  botanists  we've 
read,  is  spreading.  A spreading,  80  ft. 
tree  should  be  sufficient  shade  for  a 
whole  convention  of  scholars,  and  a 
pretty  sight  that  would  be,  but  such  a 
spread  in  front  of  our  terrace  would 
obliterate  our  view,  despite  the  light 
and  airy  quality  of  the  foliage.  To  get 
something  taller  and  more  slender  than 
the  standard  configuration,  we  did 
some  pruning. 


We  took  the  precaution  of  pruning 
our  Sophora  in  the  winter,  in  case  it 
should  be  a bleeder  as  some  trees  are, 
and  we  carefully  painted  all  of  the  cuts. 
Even  so,  the  next  summer  it  sulked. 
Not  only  did  it  not  bloom,  although 
that  was  its  summer  for  a heavy  bloom, 
it  came  only  thinly  and  sparsely  into 
leaf.  We  were  distraught.  To  have  our 
Sophora  the  shape  we  wanted  had  led 
us  to  kill  it. 

The  next  year  we  watched  anxious- 
ly. Would  it  leaf,  or  would  it  stand  as  a 
gaunt,  dead  testament  to  our  rashness? 
Came  May.  Light,  almost  yellow  ten- 
drils appeared.  By  June  the  foliage  was 
as  plentiful  as  ever.  In  August,  it 
bloomed  lightly. 

Then,  last  summer,  our  Sophora, 
now  a 40-foot  beauty,  gave  us  the  real 
treat.  It  bloomed  so  densely  that  the 
leaves,  themselves,  disappeared.  For 
three  weeks  a blizzard  of  green  petals 
descended.  The  air  throbbed  with  bees. 
Then  the  fruit  formed:  thousands  of 
clusters  of  yellow-green  beans.  The 
tree  looked  more  in  full  bloom  with 
the  fruit  than  with  the  blossoms.  Also, 
while  the  leaves  fell  after  the  first  hard 
frost,  the  fruit  continued  to  hang  with- 
out much  change  in  color,  until  Decem- 
ber. And  there  were  almost  as  many 
birds  after  the  fruit  as  there  had  been 
bees  after  the  flowers. 

• 

Edwin  A.  Peeples  is  a frequent  contributor 
to  Green  Scene.  He  is  author  of  A Profes- 
sional Storywriter's  Handbook  (Doubleday). 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Be  Wary  When  Plant  Ads  Sound  Too  Tempting 

(^)  by  Amalie  Adler  Ascher 


Mail-order  advertising  returns  hand- 
some profits  to  firms  that  know  how 
to  capitalize  on  a gardener's  weakness 
for  exceptional  plants.  Extraordinary 
offers  at  prices  too  tempting  to  resist 
bait  the  buyer,  who  for  the  loss  of  a 
dollar  or  two,  won't  bother  to  seek  re- 
dress when  plants  go  undelivered  or 
fail  to  live  up  to  claims.  Yet  those  dol- 
lars, when  multiplied  by  thousands  of 
buyers  across  the  country,  swell  the 
treasuries  of  promoters,  reflecting 
doubt  on  the  integrity  of  reliable  con- 
cerns in  the  bargain. 

But  the  public  has  rights  too. 
Though  better  by  far  to  be  on  guard 
against  claims  not  borne  out  by  the 
facts,  the  unsuspecting  buyer  who  finds 
his  merchandise  misrepresented  or 
who  fails  to  receive  delivery  at  all  need 
not  write  off  his  loss  with  meek  com- 
pliance. The  seller  has  a clear  responsi- 
bility to  follow  the  rules  set  by  federal 
and  state  agencies,  which  stand  ready 
to  prevent  theii^abuse. 

Would  you,  for  example,  be  taken 
in  by  the  following  ad?  Experience  the 
"rare  thrill"  of  a plant  in  a "kaleido- 
scope of  so  many  constantly  changing 
colors  that  you'll  hardly  be  able  to 
count  them  all.  In  a range  of  red,  gold, 
green,  orange,  and  deep  rich  purple, 
giant  leaves  up  to  7 inches  long  are 
never  quite  the  same."  For  the  "amaz- 
ing low  price  of  $1  per  bulb  plus  35 
cents  postage  and  handling.  Nature's 
Spectacular  Rainbow  Plant  in  its  own 
Rainbow  Colored  Pot"  (soil  and  grow- 
ing instructions  included)  can  be  yours." 

An  apartment  dweller  seeing  such 
an  ad  in  a Sunday  newspaper  supple- 
ment was  attracted  by  the  showy  pic- 
ture of  the  bushy  plant, each  leaf  in  a 
different  color  mix.  But  although  ready 
to  write  out  a check  and  send  for  it, 
she  paused  long  enough  to  call  a friend 
better  informed  than  she.  Unfamiliar 
with  the  plant,  the  prospective  buyer 
had  not  recognized  it  from  the  illustra- 
tion, nor  had  she  noticed  the  word, 
Caladium,  printed  in  small  letters,  so 
intent  was  she  on  the  catchy  heading 
in  much  larger  bold,  black  type.  How- 
ever, once  aware  of  the  facts,  she  was 
able  to  recognize  and,  thus,  pass  up 
the  offering  when  she  saw  it  again,  this 


time  called,  the  Pot  O'Gold  Rainbow 
Plant  and  offered  by  a seller  operating 
under  a different  trade  name  and 
address.  Still  the  new  ad  was  tempting. 
It  suggested  that  mere  ownership  would 
bring  good  luck,  happiness,  health  and 
wealth,  claimed  it  could  not  be  found 
in  stores,  and  worst  of  all,  might  never 
be  offered  again. 

Read  with  a cynical  mind,  the  ad 
should  raise  a few  doubts.  By  the  word- 
ing it  would  seem  that  a single  tuber 
would  produce  foliage  of  a number  of 
different  hues.  But,  in  reality,  tubers 
of  different  varieties  would  be  needed 


to  grow  leaves  of  different  colors  in 
the  same  pot.  Yet  one  tuber  is  all  a 
single  order  buys.  Nor  is  any  mention 
made  of  just  which  variety  that  is. 
Generally,  caladium  foliage  is  a combi- 
nation of  green  and  white,  rose  and 
green,  rose  and  red,  or  variations  of 
these.  Some  foliage  is  additionally 
marked  with  spots  of  lavender  or  with 
yellow  edges.  Its  bloom,  called  "thril- 
ling" in  the  ad  is  insignificant. 

Performance  is  also  affected  by  the 
size  and  quality  of  tubers,  in  this  case 
another  unknown.  Leaves  normally 
vary  from  6 inches  to  2 feet,  but  in  the 
plants  offered  are  advertised  to  be  only 
7 inches  long,  so  there  is  a possibility 
that  bulbs  are  small  and  of  less  than 
top  grade. 

Given  the  imponderables,  is  the 
offer  as  "incredible"  as  the  ad  claims? 
Though  showy  and  desirable  either  on 
the  windowsill  or  in  the  garden,  cala- 
diums  are  not  new,  unusual  or  uncom- 
mon. Potted  plants  are  readily  obtain- 
able in  supermarkets,  variety  stores, 
florists,  plant  shops  and  garden  centers. 
Tubers  are  routinely  offered  in  mail- 
order seed  catalogs.  Thus,  compari- 
sons may  prove  that  even  local  retail 
outlets  offer  the  same  product  at  better 


quality  and,  perhaps  cheaper,  or  the 
same  prices. 

One  aspect  of  fraudulent  mail- 
order advertising  often  overlooked  is 
the  purpose  behind  late  delivery.  A 
tree  or  shrub  timed  to  arrive  at  the  end 
of  the  season  so  that  it  barely  makes  it 
into  the  ground  before  frost  can  dis- 
tract the  buyer  from  the  reason  for  his 
purchase  in  the  first  place,  which  was 
to  receive  a superior  plant.  He  now 
becomes  preoccupied  with  whether  or 
not  the  plant  will  survive  at  all.  If  it 
does  make  it  through  the  winter,  he 
heaves  a sigh  of  relief,  forgetting  that 
this  was  not  the  objective. 

fraudulent  advertisers  move 

It  is  not  uncommon  for  promoters 
to  move  from  place  to  place  taking 
other  names  but  repeating  the  same 
practices. 

One  company  that  operates  under 
a number  of  titles  is  the  large,  Phila- 
delphia-based American  Consumer  Inc., 
owned  by  Film  Corporation  of  America 
A nationwide  mail  order  house,  it  ad- 
vertises in  newspapers  offering  a variety 
of  horticultural  and  other  products  in 
the  United  States  and  Canada.  Each 
new  promotion  carries  a new  trade  style 
American  Consumer  Inc.,  under  25 
trade  names  including  West-Bond  Nur- 
sery Sales  Company  and  American  Nur- 
sery Sales,  has  offered  among  other 
plants  a fast-growing  Paulownia  tree, 
which  is  killed  back  to  the  ground  each 
winter  in  many  parts  of  the  United 
States  where  advertised.  Experts  at  the 
National  Arboretum  say  that  though 
Paulownia  can  be  highly  valuable  in 
the  landscape,  it  is  difficult  to  grow. 

Among  other  plants  which  have  been 
offered  by  American  Consumer  under 
the  above  names  and  others  were: 

• A specially  developed,  disease-resist- 
ant  hybrid  poplar,  though  according 
to  the  Bureau  of  Consumer  Protec- 
tion, the  company  actually  shipped 
ordinary  varieties  not  suitable  for 
planting  in  many  areas. 

• A flowering  walnut  said  to  produce 
thousands  of  glorious  flowers,  which 
are,  U.S.  postal  authorities  say, 
virtually  impossible  to  see. 

• An  incredible  flowering  cherry 

continued 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


When  Plant  Ads  Sound  Too  Tempting 

continued 

hedge  supposed  to  yield  thousands 
of  cherries.  The  quantity  was  over- 
stated, according  to  the  Postal  Ser- 
vice, and  plants  fail  to  fruit  and 
flower  as  well  in  the  East  as  in  their 
native  Western  habitat,  according  to 
Wyman's  Gardening  Encyclopedia 
by  Donald  Wyman,  horticulturist 
emeritus  of  the  Arnold  Arboretum 
of  Harvard  University. 

On  the  basis  of  complaints  received 
from  across  the  country,  American 
Consumer  Inc.  was  sued  by  the  Bureau 
of  Consumer  Protection  in  Pennsyl- 
vania on  grounds  it  violated  a prior 
court  order  prohibiting  it  from  making 
false  and  misleading  product  claims.  It 
also  failed  to  honor  its  money-back 
guarantee,  the  Bureau  of  Consumer 
Protection  claimed. 

In  settlement  of  the  suit,  American 
Consumer  Inc.  agreed  in  1977  to  pay 
$45,000  in  civil  penalties  and  investi- 
gative costs,  though  it  did  not  admit  to 
any  wrong-doing.  The  company  also 
promised  to  cease  soliciting  orders  it 
could  not  fill,  to  make  no  claims  for 
products  without  reasonable  basis,  and 
to  use  only  registered  corporate  names. 

a postal  service  suit 

To  comply  with  new  Federal  Trade 
Commission  regulations  governing  mail 
order  deliveries  and  warranties,  mail 
order  firms  must  either  deliver  mer- 
chandise on  time  or  allow  customers 
to  cancel  their  orders  and  receive  a 
prompt  refund.  The  agreement  marked 
the  first  time  the  Bureau  of  Consumer 
Protection  had  enforced  the  new  rules. 

The  Consumer  Protection  Office  of 
the  U.S.  Postal  Service  in  Washington 
also  filed  suit  against  American  Con- 
sumer Inc.,  charging  misrepresentation 
in  the  claims  of  performance  of  several 
plants.  The  Postal  Service  sought  an 
injunction  to  hold  mail  for  American 
Consumer  Inc.,  and  asked  to  have 
orders  for  the  plants  returned  to  the 
senders.  The  company  agreed  to  hold 
mail  voluntarily. 

William  T.  Alvis,  attorney  for  the 
Postal  Service,  said  the  plants  chal- 
lenged were  Fort  Laramie  strawberries, 
black  walnut,  Carpathian  walnut,  Ul- 
mus  pumila  or  Siberian  or  dwarf  elm, 
and  flowering  cherry  hedge,  actually 
Prunus  besseyi. 

"In  the  case  of  the  strawberries," 
Alvis  said,  "they  were  alleged  to  be 
climbing,  but  strawberries  just  don't 


climb.  Plants  are  also  advertised  for 
hanging  baskets  that  would  produce 
large  amounts  of  fruit  even  in  the  dead 
of  winter.  But  it  is  our  belief  that  they 
will  not,  in  fact,  produce  fruit  in  the 
home  without  special  light  and 
fertilizer." 


"If  something  promises  to  work 
miracles,  it  is  probably  a miracle 
if  it  works." 


All  cases  were  settled  in  late  Decem- 
ber 1978  by  consent  agreements  in 
which  American  Consumer  Inc.  agreed 
to  return  all  orders  with  payment  and 
to  discontinue  making  such  claims 
with  regard  to  these  particular  plants. 
However,  the  company  is  not  thus  pre- 
vented from  advertising  these  same 
plants  again  under  different  claims. 

Still,  it  wasn't  long  before  American 
Consumer  again  began  advertising  the 
climbing  Fort  Laramie  strawberries, 
this  time  catching  the  attention  of 
Sandra  McFeeley,  Postal  Service  Attor- 
ney in  the  Consumer  Protection  Divi- 
sion of  the  Law  Department,  who  had 
assumed  Alvis's  duties  when  he  was  re- 
assigned elsewhere.  In  McFeeley's  opin- 
ion, though  claims  were  different,  they 
were  not  different  enough.  Thus,  she 
maintained,  the  company  was  in  viola- 
tion of  the  Consent  Agreement.  "For 
example,"  she  said,  "it  was  claimed 
that  when  tied  to  climb  a fence,  the 
Fort  Laramie  climbing  strawberries 
would  double  in  the  number  of  vines, 
produce  very  large  berries  in  numerous 
clusters,  and  perform  equally  in  all 
parts  of  the  United  States.  However, 
our  experts  at  the  U.S.  Department  of 
Agriculture,  which  test  crops  for  use  in 
the  home  garden  under  climatic  con- 
ditions representative  of  80  percent  of 
the  Middle  Atlantic  States,  found  that 
the  berries  didn't  do  real  well.  Since 
the  variety  was  developed  in  Wyoming, 
it  performs  better  in  the  High  Plains 
States." 

On  the  basis  of  the  claims,  McFeeley 
filed  a Complaint  with  the  Postal  Ser- 
vice. A hearing  was  held  before  an  ad- 
ministrative law  judge,  who  on  June  6, 
1979,  issued  an  initial  decision  recom- 
mending a mail-stop  order,  which 
American  Consumer  has  the  right  to 
appeal.  In  that  event,  a judicial  officer 


of  the  Postal  Service  will  make  the  ulti- 
mate decision. 

Another  Pennsylvania-based  com- 
pany against  which  McFeeley  filed  a 
Complaint  on  March  19,  1979,  also  in 
connection  with  misrepresenting  the 
Fort  Laramie  climbing  strawberries, 
was  Hanover  House  in  Hanover,  which 
also  operates  under  the  tradename  of 
Lakeland  Nurseries.  A Consent  Agree- 
ment was  reached  on  May  1 5,  1 979,  in 
which  the  company  stated  that  in  mak- 
ing the  agreement  it  was  for  settlement 
purposes  only  and  not  an  admission  of 
guilt.  It  did  concede,  however,  that 
the  advertisement  could  be  construed 
as  McFeeley  had  charged  and  agreed  to 
stop  that  particular  form  of  advertising. 
It  also  agreed  to  refund  remittances 
and  return  orders  to  customers  as  of 
April  18,  1979,  as  well  as  to  those  re- 
questing it  who  had  placed  orders  prior 
to  that  date.  Should  there  be  a breach 
of  the  Consent  Agreement,  McFeeley 
said,  the  company  would  be  subject  to 
an  immediate  mail  detention  order. 

Climbing  strawberries  seem  to  be  a 
favorite  with  promoters,  which  may 
account  for  the  reason  that  McFeeley 
has  been  focusing  on  these  plants.  She 
has  also  filed  administrative  complaints 
on  the  basis  of  false  or  misleading  ad- 
vertising in  violation  of  the  Postal  Mis- 
representation Act  against:  Dean  Foster 
Nurseries  (a  supplier  of  American  Con- 
sumer as  well  as  an  independent  mail- 
order house)  of  Hartford,  Michigan. 
(The  company,  McFeeley  said,  ran  a 
large  ad  in  Family  Circle  magazine  in 
September  1978  and  signed  a Consent 
Agreement  agreeing  to  refunds  as  of 
December  1978.)  Plant  Corporation  of 
America  of  Stamford,  Connecticut,  is 
another;  also  Isle  of  Tara  Nurseries  Ltd. 
of  Freeport,  New  York,  and  Cliffdale 
Nurseries  of  Paramus,  New  Jersey,  these 
two  with  related  operations  and  both 
advertisers  of  the  Rainbow  Plant;  Em- 
pire Merchandising  of  Brooklyn,  New 
York;  and  Michigan  Bulb  Company  of 
Grand  Rapids.  McFeeley  states  she  has 
reached  Consent  Agreements  with  all 
but  the  last,  though  she  is  confident, 
she  says,  that  final  disposition  will  rule 
in  her  favor. 

The  Postal  Service  has  the  right  idea 
when  it  comes  to  reading  the  ads.  "We 
have  a slogan,"  Alvis  said.  "If  something 
promises  to  work  miracles,  it  is  prob- 
ably a miracle  if  it  works."  The  buyer 
would  do  well  to  follow  that  philos- 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


ophy.  "Investigations  by  the  Postal 
Service  occur,"  Alvis  explaind,  "partly 
through  customer  complaints,  but  are 
also  initiated  by  the  department. itself 
(as  in  McFeeley's  case)  when  encounter 
ing  advertising  that  appears  question- 
able or  that  sounds  too  good  to  believe 
We  have  a split  personality,"  he  con- 
tinued," on  the  one  hand  our  liveli- 
hood comes  from  business  mailers,  so 
it  is  in  our  interests  to  have  a good 
healthy  mail  order  business.  But  we 
have  a responsibility  too  to  see  that 
the  public  is  not  misled." 


Other  Views  on  Unethical 
Advertising 

The  Garden  Writers  Association  of 
America  is  an  outspoken  critic  of  decep- 
tive mail  order  advertising,  believing  it  to 
reflect  on  the  garden  industry  as  a whole. 
"Promoters  who  deliberately  mislead  are 
not  horticulturists,"  Corinne  W.  Willard 
of  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  president  of 
GWAA,  said  in  a telephone  interview. 

"You  won't  find  their  ads  in  plant 
magazines  read  by  knowledgeable  growers. 
Occasionally  offenders  are  caught  and 
are  forced  to  pay  a fine.  But  they  make 
so  much  money,  the  fines  don't  matter.” 

committee  works  to  stop  false  ads 

An  ethics  committee  of  GWAA  has 
been  working  for  more  than  two  years  to 
"reduce  and  eliminate  deceptive  horticul- 
tural advertising  and  to  prepare  guidelines 
for  consumers  to  deal  with  it,  Willard 
announced  at  the  association's  last  annual 
meeting.  The  organization  is  also  attempt- 
ing to  persuade  newspapers  to  reject  ads 
making  false  claims.  "We  want  the  gar- 
dening public  to  get  full  value  for  every 
plant  ordered  by  mail,"  she  said. 

Willard  and  Alvis  agree  that  no  matter 
how  small  the  sum,  the  buyer  should  not 
"sit  on  his  loss." 

Willard  told  the  GWAA:  "Most  com- 
panies that  advertise  by  mail  are  highly 
reputable.  Members  of  the  Mailorder 
Association  of  Nurserymen  subscribe  to 
the  M.A.N.  Code  of  Ethics.  Look  for 
that  logo  as  a sign  of  a company's  relia- 
bility." 

Since  the  organization  attempts  to 
police  itself,  it  will  try  to  help  a consumer 
who  encounters  difficulty  with  a member. 


another  supporter 

One  who  openly  supports  that  posi- 
tion is  Rachel  Snyder,  editor  of  Flower 
and  Garden  magazine.  "The  selling  of 
plants  and  seeds  by  mail  has  tremendously 
enriched  our  gardens  across  America,"  she 
wrote  in  her  own  publication,  "because 
it  has  brought  us  plants  in  infinite  variety 
we  never  could  have  obtained  in  local 
communities  . . . Unfortunately,  a few 
bad  apples  in  the  mail  order  barrel  have 
tended  to  besmirch  the  rest,  but  unde- 
servedly so." 


V 


A. A. 


Check  List  for  Evaluating  Offers 

• In  which  regions  of  the  country  are 
plants  hardy? 

• What  quantity  of  seeds,  bulbs  or 
plants  are  offered  relative  to  price? 

• What  is  the  name  of  the  variety? 

• If  the  offer  is  made  out-of-season,  will 
shipment  be  made  at  the  appropriate 
planting  time  both  for  the  plant  and 
the  area? 

• What  are  the  conditions  for  refund  or 
replacement?  Must  merchandise  be 
returned  and  if  so  who  pays  the 
expense? 

• What  are  the  terms  of  the  guarantee: 
Does  it  begin  with  the  date  of  order 
or  date  of  delivery,  and  if  the  latter, 
what  happens  if  shipment  is  late?Simi- 
larly,  if  shipped  during  the  dormant 
season  is  that  taken  into  account? 

• What  is  the  age  or  size  of  plants  rela- 
tive to  that  required  for  production 
of  the  quantity  of  fruit  or  flowers 
promised? 

• Are  plants  really  of  desirable  variety 
or  of  one  likely  to  cause  problems? 

• What  is  the  company's  record  for 
making  refunds  and  deliveries  on  time? 

• How  do  claims  of  performance  com- 
pare with  descriptions  in  recognized 
horticultural  references  or  in  the 
opinions  of  local  experts? 

• Are  so-called  bargains  really  cheaper 
than  similar  or  better  grades  found  in 
local  outlets  or  in  proven  mail  houses? 

• Where  reports  of  "experts"  are  cited 
to  substantiate  claims,  how  specific 
are  the  references? 

• To  what  degree  is  the  buyer  protected 
if  plants  are  damaged  or  die  in  transit? 

• Do  you  have  the  conditions  and 
know-how  necessary  to  grow  the  plant? 

Your  Rights  When  Ordering 

To  learn  more  about  your  rights,  send 
for  free  booklets.  Shopping  by  Mail? 


You're  Protected  and  FTC  Buyer's  Guide 
No.  2,  Unordered  Merchandise  to  Public 
Reference,  Federal  Trade  Commission, 
Room  130,  6th  Street  and  Pennsylvania 
Avenue  NW,  Washington  20580. 

When  ordering  merchandise  by  mail, 
be  ready  for  possible  trouble  by  keeping 
original  or  copies  of  all  papers  connected 
with  the  transaction— the  ad  itself;  your 
order,  check  or  money  order  number 
and  date;  post-marked  envelopes  (to  deter- 
mine jurisdiction  of  the  postal  authori- 
ties), and  any  other  correspondence.  But 
do  not  send  originals  when  making 
claims.  Before  informing  state  or  federal 
authorities,  write  the  company  to  try  to 
settle  the  matter  and  retain  a carbon  or 
photocopy  of  your  complaint.  If  no  an- 
swer is  received  in  30  days  or  if  no  effort 
at  adjustment  is  made,  send  a second  let- 
ter to  the  company,  and  say  copies  are 
being  sent  to: 

• The  Attorney  General's  Consumer 
Protection  Division  of  the  state  in  which 
the  mail-order  firm  is  located. 

• Office  of  the  Secretary,  Federal  Trade 
Commission,  Room  701 , 6th  Street  and 
Pennsylvania  Avenue  NW,  Washington 
20580. 

• Chief  Postal  Inspector,  Postal  Service 
Headquarters,  Washington  20260. 

• Jane  Foster,  President,  Mailorder 
Association  of  Nurserymen,  c/o  Jackson 
& Perkins,  Medford,  Oregon  97501 . 

• Mail  Order  Action  Line  Service,  Direct 
Mail  Marketing  Association,  6 East  43rd 
Street,  New  York  10017. 

• The  publication  (if  a newspaper  or 
magazine)  in  which  the  ad  appeared. 

Send  your  second  letter  to  the  com- 
pany by  registered  mail.  Consumer  pro- 
tection agencies  say  that  by  this  extra 
attention,  "95  per  cent  of  companies 
will  come  through  with  a satisfactory 
solution  to  your  problem." 

A.  A. 

J 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


jasminum  officinale 

A single  five-petal  blossom  of  the 
common  white  jasmine  (Jasminum 
officinale)  scents  an  entire  room,  and 
from  August  through  December  six  or 
more  1%-in.  flowers  at  a time  are  open 
(up  to  two  dozen)  if  the  plant  is  more 
than  four  years  old  and  receives  ade- 
quate moisture. 

“Do  not  put  this  plant  outdoors 
too  early— a late  frost  will  damage  or 
even  kill  it,"  advises  Teresa  York,  an 
eastern  gardener  whose  jasmine  spent 
five  years  in  southern  New  England 
and  the  past  six  just  south  of  Delaware. 
"And  don't  bring  it  in  too  soon  in  fall; 
leave  it  out  as  long  as  possible  even 


after  it  has  been  root-pruned  and 
repotted." 

Like  other  indoor  plants,  this  jas- 
mine must  have  fresh  air,  light  and 
water.  Water  especially,  the  higher  the 
humidity  the  more  it  thrives.  Lack  of 
moisture  causes  the  delicate,  deep-green 
pinnate  leaves  to  curl  and  become 
brittle-brown;  misting  or  water  spraying 
twice  a week,  as  well  as  placing  the  jas- 
mine outdoors  during  warm  winter 
rains,  may  prevent  this.  Also,  the  plant 
does  best  in  a room  below  66°  such  as 
an  unheated,  well-lighted  bathroom. 

Another  way  to  provide  needed 
humidity  is  to  set  a clam  shell  among 
the  pebbles  that  serve  as  a mulch  and 


stop  the  roots  from  drying  too  fast.  A 
3-in.  shell  will  serve  in  a 7-in.  pot.  This 
shell  is  kept  full  of  water;  as  the  water 
evaporates,  moisture  permeates  the  air 
around  the  jasmine.  When  the  shell  is 
empty,  the  plant  needs  water;  York 
puts  collected  rain  water  or  filtered 
water  in  the  clam  shell  and  in  the  shell 
at  the  base  of  her  pebble-mulched 
melissa.  All  her  indoor  plants  are  in 
clay  bulb  pots  or  narrower  clay  pots, 
her  Aloe  vera,  orange  plant,  Kalanchoe 
tomentosa  and  her  jasmine. 

After  the  jasmine  has  finished  flower 
ering  for  a few  months,  the  long, 
almost  horizontal,  branches  can  be 
pruned  drastically  to  make  the  plant 
more  compact  and  shapely.  And  water 
shoots,  which  grow  almost  straight  up, 
are  usually  cut  off  entirely.  New 
branches  grow  so  quickly  the  jasmine 
may  need  more  pruning  when  it  is  taken 
outside  after  mid-May. 

York's  jasmine  summers  in  an  east 
foundation  border  that  is  shaded  after 
1 pm.  The  soil  is  mostly  fine  sand,  so 
compost  and  rich  garden  loam  fills  in 
around  the  roots  of  the  jasmine  before 
it  is  given  its  summer  mulch  of  broken 
stone.  Every  three  or  four  weeks  the 
plant  is  fertilized  with  liquid  fish, 
diluted  with  rain  water.  In  late  July 
the  pink  buds  start  to  form;  as  time 
passes  these  buds  become  deep  rose, 
almost  red,  before  the  pure  white,  fra- 
grant, V/2-in.  flowers  open. 

About  a month  before  the  first  real 
frost  is  expected  (near  mid-November 
in  York's  area),  she  cut  around  the  jas- 
mine with  a spade;  a few  days  later  she 
pruned  the  longest  branch  and  repotted 
the  plant  after  cutting  off  a long,  tough 
root  that  the  spade  missed.  After  the 
repotted  plant  spent  two  days  longer 
in  its  summer  location,  she  carried  it 
to  the  northeast  screened  porch  where 
it  remained  more  than  a week;  on  an 
afternoon  when  the  outdoor  temper- 
ature was  higher  than  the  inside,  over 
72°,  she  brought  the  still-flowering 
jasmine  indoors  for  the  winter. 

Devon  Reay 

Devon  Reay  gardens  in  Salisbury,  Maryland. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


photos  by  Jane  Pepper 


philodendron  scandens 

My  mother  lives  in  Edinburgh, Scot- 
land, and  had  to  depend  on  an  inter- 
mediary to  deliver  a house-warming 
present  when  we  moved  to  Media  in 
1968.  Her  messenger  was  Florists' 
Transworld  Delivery  and  in  a letter  she 
said  she  had  ordered  a sweetheart 
philodendron.  FTD's  representative 
brought  not  just  one  philodendron  but 
a dish  garden  containing  three  or  four 
plants.  (Incidentally,  I have  never  seen 
a philodendron  called  'Sweetheart,' 
but  wonder  if  it  could  have  been  Philo- 
dendron cordatum  or  heart-leaf  philo- 
dendron that  she  saw  in  Edinburgh.) 
That  was  my  first  adventure  with 


house  plants,  and  very  proudly  I placed 
the  dish  garden  in  what  I thought  was 
an  appropriate  place  and  watered  it 
copiously.  Of  course  most  of  the  plants 
died  from  lack  of  light  or  soggy  roots. 

The  philodendron,  however,  survived 
and  was  transplanted  to  a new  pot 
with  a drainage  hole.  For  several  years 
it  grew  slowly,  each  year  pushing  out  a 
few  more  straggly  stems  that  I tacked 
to  a structural  support  in  our  kitchen 
with  scotch  tape.  It  was  not  a specimen 
to  be  proud  of,  but  its  sentimental 
associations  assured  it  a place  in  the 
house. 

As  the  years  wore  on  the  straggly 
shoots  grew  long  enough  for  me  to 


tack  them  to  the  beams  in  our  break- 
fast room  adjacent  to  the  kitchen. 
Growing  towards  the  light  the  plant 
grew  strongerand  soon  visitors  began 
to  ask  who  owned  that  room.  Peppers 
or  philodendron.  With  the  increased 
growth  I could  no  longer  depend  upon 
scotch  tape  for  support  and  had  to  put 
tacks  into  the  beams,  and  tie  the  stems 
to  the  tacks  with  thin  strips  of  old 
nylon  hosiery.  At  one  stage  some  aerial 
roots  developed,  which  clung  to  the 
ceiling.  Unfortunately  there  are  only  a 
few  of  these  but  the  tack/nylon  strip 
combination  is  hardly  noticeable 
against  the  pine  beams. 

Eleven  years  later  we  have  about  80 
yards  of  philodendron  just  waiting  for 
us  to  move  out  so  it  can  take  over  the 
house. 

Jane  Pepper 

• 

Jane  Pepper  is  contributing  editor  to  Plants 
Alive  and  secretary  to  the  Haverford  College 
Arboretum  Association. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


32 


Packing 


AIR  LAYERING  A PALM 


Plants  that  grow  too  tall  indoors 
present  hobbyists  with  some  hard 
(^)  by  George  A.  Elbert  Choices.  They  can  be  drastically  trim- 
med but  always  with  the  risk  of  appear- 
ing stunted;  air-layered;  or  new  plants 
started  by  means  of  cuttings  from 
sections  of  wood.  Neither  of  the  latter 
methods  is  easy,  nor  do  plants  always 
respond  favorably  to  either  of  these 
methods.  Single  stemmed  palms  have 
the  reputation  of  being  quite  unmanage 
able  and  are  usually  discarded.  Recently 
we  challenged  that  assumption  and 
succeeded  in  saving  one  species  of  palm. 

A parlor  palm,  Chamaedorea  elegans, 
had  been  a member  of  the  family  for  a 
good  many  years.  Having  reached  a 
height  of  six  feet  above  soil  level  it 


presented  a rather  pathetic  appearance. 
It  had  a long,  thin,  bare  trunk  that  was 
supported  by  a stake.  Flowers  appeared 
regularly  but  the  leaves  had  become 
progressively  shorter  in  the  last  two 
years.  The  time  had  come  to  replace  it. 
But  we  hated  to  do  that  and  considered 
every  possible  alternative  before  mak- 
ing a final  decision. 

Each  dead  leaf  left  behind  a normal 
leaf  scar  encircling  the  trunk  at  inter- 
vals of  about  an  inch.  Just  beneath 
each  scar  was  a ring  of  five  to  seven 
short,  thick  growths  terminating  in 
smooth,  round  calluses.  I have  not  ob- 
served them  in  other  genera.  Occasion- 
ally we  had  wondered  idly  about  their 
possible  function.  Now,  when  we  were 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


plastic  wrap,  which  she  fastened  very 
tightly,  top  and  bottom,  with  scotch 
tape.  The  vertical  opening  in  the  plastic 
was  closed  with  another  piece  of  tape. 
Making  the  packing  airtight  is  all  impor- 
tant. In  short,  this  was  a normal  pro- 
cedure in  the  technique  of  air-layering. 

Then  we  waited.  Twenty  days  later 
a thick  white  root  became  visible 
through  the  plastic— long  before  we 
expected  any  result.  The  operation 
had  worked.  At  the  end  of  10  days 
more,  we  were  able  to  count  1 1 roots 
breaking  through  the  moss.  The  time 
had  come  for  the  next  step.  We  un- 
wrapped the  plastic,  inserted  a knife  as 
high  under  the  moss  as  was  possible 
without  damaging  the  new  roots  and 
cut  through  the  trunk.  The  roots  were 
4 to  6 in. long. 

We  prepared  a large  pot  with  soil- 
less mix  and  planted  the  palm,  now  re- 
duced to  a height  of  15  in.  After  a 
month  in  its  new  home  it  showed  all 
the  vigor  of  a young  tree. 

As  I had  never  heard  of  anyone  air- 
layering a palm,  I was  curious  to  find 
out  whether  the  accomplishment  would 
be  news  to  an  expert  on  the  family.  So 
I wrote  to  a renowned  authority,  re- 
porting our  feat  and  asking  whether  it 
was  possible  with  other  palms.  The 
answer  did  not  mention  any  previous 
occurrence  of  air-layering,  suggested 
the  possibility  with  other  Chamaedo- 
rea,  but  did  not  think  it  was  "advisable." 

A couple  of  months  later  I had 
occasion,  for  another  reason,  to  refer 

continued 


Roots  growing  out  of  the  unpacked  layering 


thinking  of  ways  to  save  the  palm,  we 
examined  them  more  closely,  and  it 
suddenly  occurred  to  us  that  they 
were  similar  in  appearance  to  aerial 
roots  emerging  from  the  stems  of  some 
tropical  aroids.  Could  they  really  have, 
under  certain  conditions,  the  same  pur- 
pose? The  way  to  find  out  was  by  air- 
layering. As  there  was  nothing  to  lose 
we  decided  to  try. 


With  an  extremely  sharp  knife 
Ginny  made  a 3V2-in.  incision  upwards 
just  below  the  cluster  of  leaves,  being 
careful  not  to  reach  the  center  of  the 
trunk.  She  then  dusted  the  wound 
with  hormone  powder  and  forced  a 
small  wad  of  wet  sphagnum  moss  into 
the  wound.  While  I held  a much  larger 
wad  of  moss  over  the  area,  she  enclosed 
it  and  the  trunk  in  a sheet  of  clear 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


AIR  LAYERING  A PALM 

continued 


Replanted  palm 


to  Horticulturist,  the  American  Horti- 
cultural Society's  special  issue  of  Janu- 
ary 1961,  which  was  entirely  devoted 
to  palms.  On  page  134  I came  across 
the  following  in  an  article  by  Stanley 
C.  Kiem: 

Unusual  as  it  may  seem,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  marcott,  or  "moss  off"  the 
top  of  a very  few  palms,  namely 
some  of  the  species  of  Chamaedorea. 
Quoting  from  0.  F.  Cook's  article, 
entitled  "Household  Palms  and  Re- 
lated Genera,"  in  The  National 
Horticultural  Magazine  22:89,  1 943 : 
"An  experiment  of  marcotting  was 
tried  by  Albert  W.  Close  and  proved 
entirely  successful.  The  process  of 
marcotting  is  simple,  merely  wrap- 


ping a ball  of  sphagnum  moss  and 
burlap  around  the  trunk,  tying  it  on 
and  keeping  it  moist.  In  a few 
months  after  roots  have  begun  to 
grow,  the  lower  trunk  can  be  cut 
away  and  the  palm  set  in  new  soil." 
So  it  had  been  done  before.  I had 
also  learned  two  new  terms,  marcot- 
ting and  moss  off.  The  distinction 
from  air  layering  is,  I presume,  the 
elimination  of  the  incision.  When  I re- 
ferred to  my  record  photos  it  was  evi- 
dent that  at  least  three  of  the  growth 
rings  had  grown  roots.  But  why  did  we 
experience  such  rapid  results?  Perhaps 
the  incision  did  have  something  to  do 
with  that.  Only  further  experiments 
can  settle  the  question. 


As  for  the  opinion  that  the  method 
is  not  "advisable"— I agree  that  it 
would  be  unthinkable  for  commercial 
purposes.  But  considering  the  fre- 
quency with  which  indoor  growers  are 
obliged  to  sacrifice  overgrown  speci- 
mens of  these  popular  palms,  I deem  it 
very  advisable  indeed. 


George  A.  Elbert  is  the  former  president  of 
the  Indoor  Light  Garden  Society  of  America 
and  a member  of  the  Illuminating  Engineer- 
ing Society.  He  isauthor  of  The  Indoor  Light 
Gardening  Book  (Crown,  NY  1973 ),  Plants 
that  Really  Bloom  Indoors  (with  Virginia  F. 
Elbert)  (Simon  & Schuster,  NY  1974);  and 
The  Miracle  House  Plants:  The  Gesneriad 
Family  (Crown,  1976). 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


Dwarf  conifers,  rare  trees  and  shrubs,  hard 
to  find  species.  Catalog  50 i.  Dilatush  Nur- 
sery, 780  U.S.  Highway  130,  Robbinsville, 
NJ  08791 . (609)  585-5387. 


Going  away?  Call  an  accomplished  "Plant 
Nanny"  to  care  for  your  plants.  Watering, 
feeding,  re-potting  and  tender,  loving  care. 
Philadelphia  area  and  near  suburbs.  Call 
Jean  Byall,  382-6849. 


ATTENTION  FLOWER  ARRANGERS:  Im- 
ported Japanese  kenzans  (needle-point  hold- 
ers) all  sizes.  Write  for  price  list.  Indian  Run 
Nursery,  P.O.  Box  160,  Robbinsville,  NJ 
08691  (609)  259-2600. 


A wide  selection  of  ornamental  conifers  is 
being  grown  at  CHROME  RUN  NURSERY, 
350  Howarth  Rd.,  Media,  PA  19063.  True 
dwarf  and  slow  growing  varieties  as  well  as 
more  vigorous  tree  forms  are  available  in 
containers  or  as  field  grown  specimens.  Write 
for  free  catalog  or  contact  Jared  Berd  (215) 
LO  6-1827. 


For  the  rare  and  specimen  buyer—  Pinus  vari- 
iety—  Tanyosho,  Strobus  nana,  Strobus  fasti- 
gata,  P.  aristata  and  sylvestris;  Picea  excelsa, 
Cedrus  deodara  'Aurea/  Riversi  beech  and 
Oxydendrum.  Much  more  available  at  Wes- 
cott's  Garden  Depot,  Rt.  541  & Church  Rd., 
Medford,  NJ  (609)  654-5234. 


UNUSUAL  RHODODENDRONS  Species  - 
Hybrids;  Small  Leaved  - Large  Leaved.  Nur- 
sery is  % mi.  from  NJ  Turnpike,  Exit  I 195 
and  Interstate  1 95  East  at  Exit  7.  By  appoint- 
ment only.  INDIAN  RUN  NURSERY,  Allen- 
town Road,  Robbinsville,  NJ  08691.  Tele- 
phone (609)  259-2600. 


HORTICULTURISTS 
Visit  SNIPES  FARM  & NURSERY 
Rt.  1 , Morrisville,  PA 
(215)  295-1138 

an  old-fashioned  nursery  and  complete 
garden  center 

See  our  varied  selection  of  rare  plants  includ- 
ing: Splitleaf  Japanese  Maples;  Weeping  Pines, 
Spruce  and  Hemlock;  Dwarf  Chamaecyparis 
Varieties;  Dwarf  Azaleas  and  Rhododendron; 
Beech  Varieties;  Crape-Myrtle;  Stewartia; 
Hollies;  Heather;  and  numerous  Perennials; 
Ferns  and  Wildflowers. 

House  Plants  and  Pottery 
Wicker  and  Gift  Items 
Refined  Landscapes 


ARBORICULTURE 

The  Care,  Maintenance  and  Preservation  of 
Your  Trees  and  Bushes 
Natural  Pruning  is  our  Specialty 
For  Free  Inspection  and  Analysis  call 

McFarland,  inc. 

1 09  Walnut  Lane,  Philadelphia,  PA  1 91  44 
438-3970 


LORD  & BURNHAM  GREENHOUSES  are 
the  best  and  most  attractive  greenhouses 
made— bar  none!  That's  why  James  Under- 
wood Crockett  bought  one.  173  models  are 
available  and  each  can  be  custom  designed 
to  fit  your  needs.  For  expert  advice  on  the 
selection,  construction  and  operation  of  your 
greenhouse,  call  Lord  & Burnham's  agent, 
Robert  J.  LaRouche  at  Newtown  Gardens, 
3910  West  Chester  Pike,  Newtown  Square, 
PA  19073.  Tel.  (215)  353-6121. 


Attractive  5 or  6 bedroom,  4 full  bathrooms, 
100-year-old  brick  converted  carriage  house 
on  % acre  for  sale.  Horticulturist's  delight. 
Walled-in  garden,  shady  perennials,  hybrid 
rhododendrons,  substantial  dwarf  shrub  col- 
lection, many  spring  bulbs.  Two  greenhouse 
windows  plus  large  attic  plant  room.  Adja- 
cent to  Merion  Cricket  Club  within  easy 
walking  distance  of  Haverford  RR  station. 
Phone  (21  5)  896-8744  before  9 pm.  Elise  or 
Sam  Felton. 


HENRY  FOUNDATION  FOR 
BOTANICAL  RESEARCH 
801  Stony  Lane,  Gladwyne,  PA  — 525-2037 
A botanical  garden  with  emphasis  on  North 
American  species.  We  are  open  Tuesdaysand 
Thursdays  — 10  AM  to  4 PM  — April  thru 
October  — other  times  by  appointment. 

FLORA  AMERICANA  - Fall  1979 
GARDENING  WITH  NATIVE  PLANTS  - 
A four-session  course  — Tuesday,  October  9, 
16,  23,  30,  10  AM-12  noon.  Discussion  will 
place  emphasis  on  the  use  of  ornamental 
native  plants  in  garden  planning.  For  addi- 
tional information  call  the  Henry  Foundation 
— Tuesday  thru  Friday  — 9 AM-4  PM. 


VILLAGE  GARDENS 
GARDEN  ACCENTS 

Good  source  for  quality  plant  materials  with 
an  excellent  selection  of  Chrysanthemums 
and  bulbs  for  fall  planting.  One-year  guaran- 
tee on  nursery  stock.  Distinctive  handcrafted, 
imported  and  antique  garden  ornaments  in 
wood,  lead  and  stone.  Pair  of  19th  century 
Chinese  Stone  Temple  Figures. 

Come  find  the  final  touch— or  inspire  a whole 
new  project  with  a visit  to: 

500  Lancaster  Ave. 

Berwyn, PA  1 931 2 
644-2765 


WANTED:  Customers  for  superior  varieties 
such  as  Acer rubrum,  Cercidiphyllum  japoni- 
cum,  Cryptomeria  japonica  nana,  Enkian- 
thus  campanulata.  Hex  'Nellie  Stevens,'  Juni- 
perus  chinensis  sargeant,  Picea  abies  nidi- 
formis,  Pinus  densiflora  umbraculifera,  Ste- 
wartia pseudo-camelia,  Styrax  obassia.  All 
and  more  available  from  Rose  Valley  Nur- 
series, 684  S.  New  Middletown  Road,  Media, 
PA  1 9063.  Telephone  Ben  Palmer.TR  2-7206. 


VERILUX  TRUBLOOM 
Most  effective  of  all  growth  lamps  for  in- 
door light  gardening  and  greenhouse  use. 
Promotes  long-lasting  blooms  on  compact 
plants.  50%  longer  lamp  life  means  substan- 
tial savings.  48”  40-watt  lamps  $39.00  ppd 
for  carton  of  6.  Prices  on  all  standard  sizes 
and  full  information  on  request. 

VERILUX  TRUBLOOM 
Department  GS,  35  Mason  Street 
Greenwich,  CT  06830 


Orchid  hobbyists  will  enjoy  the  meetings  of 
the  Southeastern  Penna.  Orchid  Society  held 
September  through  June  on  the  second  Wed- 
nesday of  each  month  at  8 pm  in  Clothier 
Hall,  Bryn  Mawr  Hospital  nurses  home. 
Beginners  and  advanced  orchidists  will  find 
the  programs  interesting  and  informative. 
For  information  call  688-1  237. 


THE  HILL  COMPANY,  8615  Germantown 
Avenue,  cordially  invites  you  to  visit  an  out- 
standing collection  of  rust-proof,  weather- 
proof furniture  for  terrace  or  garden.  Hill 
offers  a large  selection  of  style  and  color 
from  tropitone,  molla  and  scroll.  Hill  also 
features  fountains  and  unusual  accessories 
for  the  garden.  CH  7-7600. 


35 


VISITORS  WELCOME:  Share  the  fun  of 
orchid  growing.  The  DELAWARE  ORCHID 
SOCIETY  meetings  offer  the  beginner  and 
advanced  collector  interesting  activities. 
Meetings  are  held  the  second  Thursday  of 
most  months  at  Aldersgate  Church,  Route 
202,  Wilmington.  For  more  information 
write  to  DOS,  Box  9414,  Wilm.  DE  19809. 


IT  ISN'T  EASY  BEING  GREEN  unless  you 
have  a QED  residential  Lord  and  Burnham 
greenhouse  added  to  your  digs.  We  design, 
erect,  and  equip  to  satisfy  your  rules  of  green 
thumb.  Grow  anything  green  year-round 
(except  perhaps  frogs).  QED,  INC.— offering 
expected  amenities  to  the  Philadelphia  Main 
Line  and  Chestnut  Hill.  688-1  51 4;  P.O.  Box 
161,  Villanova,  PA  19085. 


ANYTHING  GROES 
GREENHOUSE 

Specializing  in  exotic  tropical  foliage  plants. 
Always  some  new  and  unusual  introductions. 
Complete  line  of  Anything  Groes  products. 
By  appointment  only. 

Tel.  (215)  542-9343 

1609  McKean  Rd.,  Spring  House,  PA  19477 


Advertising  copy  should  be  submitted  8 weeks  before  issue  date:  November,  January,  March,  May,  July,  September.  Minimum  rate  $10.00 
(covers  up  to  35  words).  Additional  words  20 4 each.  Less  10%  discount  for  two  or  more  consecutive  issues,  using  same  copy.  All  copy  should 
be  accompanied  by  check  made  out  to  PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  and  sent  to  Mary  Elizabeth  Lee,  THE  GREEN  SCENE, 
325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  PA  19106. 


the  green  scene  • sept.  1979 


classified  ads 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 
NOVEMBER  • DECEMBER  • 1979  $1.50 


Greenhouse  Alternatives.  See  page  14 


Volume  8,  Number  2 Nov. /Dec.  1 979 



published  by 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA 

HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY 

325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  19106 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman /Chairman 
Ernesta  D.  Ballard  /President 
Jean  Byrn  el  Editor 

PUBLICATIONS  COMMITTEE 
Nancy  Howard /Chair 
George  Borowsky 
C.  Stuart  Brown 
Alexander  Crosby 
Barbalra  Hesse  Emerson 
Herbert  W.  Goodall,  Jr. 

George  M.  Harding 
Bobette  Leidner 
Dorothy  S.  Young 

DESIGNER 

Julie  Baxendell 

Baxendell  Design  Associates 


3 Editorial  by  Jean  Byrne 

4 People  Who  Live  in  Glass  Houses 
by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 

8 Wonderlite  by  George  Elbert 

1 1 New  Plants  from  Radiation  by  Randall  P.  Niedz 

14  Greenhouse  Alternatives/)/  Barbara  Bruno 

17  A Sunporch  Jungle  by  George  M.  Harding 

20  Coping  with  a Hot  Wet  Summer 
by  Ernesta  D.  Ballard 

22  Positive  Thoughts  While  Weeding  — Thinking 

about  Christmas  by  Joanna  McQ.  Reed 

26  Henry  C.  Mercer:  Naturalist  Extraordinary 

by  Helen  A.  Gem  mi  1 1 

29  Growing  Interests 

30  Lady  Belle:  Our  Anthropomorphic  Christmas 
Cactus  by  Jan  Riemer 

31  Landscaping  in  a Heterogeneous  Community 
by  Jane  Pepper 


THE  GREEN  SCENE,  (USPS  955580)  Volume 
8,  No.  2,  published  bimonthly,  January,  March, 
May,  July,  September,  November,  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  a non-profit 
membership  organization  at  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106.  Subscription  $7.50  — 
Single  Copy:  $1.50.  Second  class  postage  paid 
at  Philadelphia,  PA  19104. 

POSTMASTER  Send  Form  No.  3579  to  THE 
GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.  191 06. 

©Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  1979 


33  Fact  & Fancies  about  Some  Holiday 

Horticulture  by  Ed  Lindemann 

35  Classified  Advertising 

Front  A Cellar  Door  Garden.  See  story  on  page  14. 

Cover:  photo  by  Barbara  Bruno 

Back  A cozy  corner  in  the  greenhouse.  Plant  with  large 

Cover:  leaves  in  foreground  upper  left.  Ficus  lyrata,  smaller 

leaves  below.  Ficus  benjamina.  Hanging  plant  in 
upper  right-hand  corner  Hedera  helix.  The  pansies 
on  the  table  are  from  the  garden, 
photo  by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


The  New  Torker  Magazine : 

Gardeners  in  General 

and  PHS  Members  in  Particular 


(^)  by  Jean  Byrne 

When  the  late  Katharine  S.  White  moved  to  Maine 
after  34  years  as  fiction  editor  at  The  New  Yorker,  she 
began  to  write  a series  of  gardening  essays  for  the 
magazine.  The  14  essays,  which  spanned  a 12-year 
period,  have  recently  been  reissued  as  a book,  Onward 
and  Upward  in  the  Garden  (Farrar,  Straus,  Giroux, 
N.Y.,  1979).*  Rarely  has  there  been  such  a fortuitous 
and  superb  conjunction  of  gardening  and  writing 
skills.  While  she  characterized  herself  as  an  amateur 
gardener,  her  husband,  E.  B.  White,  also  a writer,  says 
in  his  fine  introduction  to  the  book  "To  write  of 
Katharine  simply  as  a gardener  would  be  like  writing 
of  Benjamin  Franklin  simply  as  a printer." 

White  deals  with  the  catalogs,  trends  and  develop- 
ments, the  literature  of  gardens,  flower  arranging, 
relevant  history  and  other  subjects  in  an  almost  dazzl- 
ing way. 

Fler  opinions  are  delightfully  stringent:  "I  don't 
like  Peace.  Even  a small  vaseful  of  Peace  roses  is  gro- 
tesque." Her  tolerance  for  some  of  the  hybridizer's 
excesses  is  limited:  "The  Burpee  people  go  for  ruffles 
in  anything.  To  me  a ruffled  petunia  is  an  occasional 
delight  but  a ruffled  snapdragon  is  an  abomination." 

On  the  other  hand,  an  addict  of  catalogs,  she  under- 
took to  review  the  seedsmen's  and  nurserymen's 
efforts  as  though  she  were  "reviewing  the  latest  novel." 
She  wrote:  "They  are  as  individualistic— these  editors 
and  writers— as  any  Faulkner  or  Hemingway,  and 
they  can  be  just  as  frustrating  and  rewarding.  They 
have  an  audience  equal  to  the  most  popular  novelists. 

. . . They  are  my  favorite  authors  and  produce  my 
favorite  reading  matter." 

Given  her  credentials,  then,  what  serious  gardener 
and  writer  would  not  be  pleased  to  have  White  take 
notice  of  her/his  work.  The  book  is  rife  with  mentions 
of  people  we  all  know  among  the  nurserymen,  gar- 
deners and  authors.  Our  special  delight  was  that  she 
singled  out  three  PHS  members,  who  have  also  written 
for  Green  Scene,  for  quite  extravagant  praise.  They 
are  Ernesta  D.  Ballard,  Leonie  Bell  and  Harold  Bruce. 

She  deemed  Ballard's  book,  Garden  in  Your  House 
(Harper  & Row,  1 958,  1 971 ),  to  be  "the  best  book  on 
house  plants  I've  ever  come  across."  She  analyzes  the 
book  at  length  and  notes:  "Ballard  puts  on  no  airs. 
Though  she  knows  her  botany  as  well  as  her  horticul- 
ture, she  is  a clear  and  concise  writer  who  never  speaks 
through  the  dark  glass  of  technical  language.  She  is 
also  a practitioner,  not  a theorist,  and  has  grown 
every  one  of  the  more  than  550  varieties  of  plants  she 
lists."  Several  years  later  when  Ballard's  The  Art  of 

* Available  on  loan  from  PHS  Library 

the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Training  Plants  (Harper  & Row,  1962)  came  out,  she 
again  referred  to  Garden  in  Your  House  as  her  house 
plant  bible  and  wrote:  "I  read  the  new  book  eagerly, 
even  though  I had  long  since  decided  that  life  was  too 
short  to  be  involved  in  the  Occidental  fad  of  growing 
dwarf  trees  in  the  ancient  Oriental  manner.  Ballard's 
book  opens  new  vistas  . . . full  of  common  sense  and 
clear  advice,  based  on  her  own  experience." 

The  second  member  and  Green  Scene  writer  to 
come  in  for  kudos  is  Leonie  Bell.  Bell  coauthored  The 
Fragrant  Year  with  Helen  Van  Pelt  Wilson  (Barrows, 
1976)  and  also  did  all  of  the  illustrations.  Of  these. 
White  writes,  "Bell  is  an  outstanding  botanical  artist, 
with  the  ability  to  make  her  pale-black  pencil  drawing 
create  texture  and  character,  and  sometimes  magically, 
or  so  it  seems— even  color.  Her  detail  is  amazing,  yet 
her  drawings  are  works  of  art;  for  accuracy,  they  sur- 
pass any  color  photograph  and  most  of  the  black-and- 
white  textbook  botanical  drawings  I have  seen  of  late." 
She  singles  out  a chapter  on  Bell's  special  field  of 
interest:  "The  chapter  on  roses,  obviously  a labor  of 
love,  is  one  of  the  most  rewarding— on  fragrance,  on 
species  and  varieties,  and  on  the  history  of  the  rose 
strains." 

The  final  member  and  Green  Scene  author  that  she 
singled  out  is  Harold  Bruce,  who  wrote  The  Gardens 
of  Winterthur  in  All  Seasons  (Viking,  1968).  White 
pronounces  it  the  most  beautiful  and  readable  of  all 
garden  books  that  year  (1968).  She  writes:  "if  you 
can't  get  to  Winterthur,  Harold  Bruce's  book  and  the 
Hampfler  photographs  will  make  you  feel  you  have 
been  there."  She  continues  "His  prose  is  far  removed 
from  the  turgid  writing  of  most  horticultural  scientists 
...  He  hasn't  attempted  to  write  a botanical  hand- 
book, and,  as  a taxonomist  he  has  had  the  courage  to 
change  the  rules  of  the  gobbledygook  of  current  Latin." 
Bruce  also  gives  practical  advice  for  home  gardeners 
in  the  book  and  White  claims,  "I'll  have  learned  a lot 
about  the  small  home  garden  from  Harold  Bruce,  and 
I am  especially  grateful  for  his  notes  on  hardiness,  for 
I have  been  nursing  along  plants  that  will  never  flour- 
ish in  our  own  Zone.  . ." 

Lest  I be  accused  of  chauvinism  in  selecting  out 
Green  Scene  writers,  let  me  say  that  as  an  editor,  I find 
the  book  soars.  There  is  a vigorous  blend  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge,  advice  and  sheer  crustiness.  Her  two 
chapters  on  the  trends  in  flower  arranging,  in  which 
happily  no  one  from  our  area  is  mentioned,  were 
nonconformist  to  say  the  least;  it  should  be  essential 
reading  for  all  Show  exhibitors. 

Illustration  by  Leonie  Bell,  The  Fragrant  Year,  M.  Barrows  & 
Company,  Inc.,  New  York,  1967. 


4 


A summer  corner  for  a shady  green- 
house is  built  with  a border  of 
cobblestones  around  a floor  of 
gravel.  The  plants  are  placed  in 
pots.  The  towering  plant  is  Ficus 
lyrata ; the  fern  in  the  lower  left- 
hand  corner  is  Nephrolepsis  exal- 
tata  (Boston  fern);  the  pink  flow- 
ers in  the  center  Euphorbia  pul- 
cherrima  and  the  spiky  variegated 
plant  next  to  the  poinsettia  is 
Neoregetia  carolinae  'Tricolor.' 
Since  this  spot  was  one  of  the 
most  vulnerable  in  the  freeze,  the 
summer  corner  was  moved  out  in 
late  September  and  heat  cables 
were  laid  down  to  supplement  the 
gas  heat.  Plants  tolerant  of  cool 
temperatures,  e.g.,  camellias  and 
ferns,  were  then  put  in  the  area. 


PEOPLE 
WHO 
LIVE  IN 
GLASS 
HOUSES 


by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 


I blame  it  all  on  a Pennsylvania 
Horticultural  Society  Indoor  Garden 
Visit.  One  January  Sunday  in  1977  my 
husband  and  I,  suffering  from  a touch 
of  cabin  fever,  toured  city  and  suburbs 
to  see  how  inventively  members  coped 
with  Philadelphia  winters.  What  we 
saw  in  Society  Hill  and  Narberth, 
Mount  Airy  and  Chestnut  Hill  only 
aggravated  our  winter  malaise.  We  saw 
glorious,  imaginative  alterations  to  an 
old  stone  farmhouse,  to  a venerable 
town  house  and  a smashing  four-story 
dwelling,  all  light  and  air  and  greenery. 
At  the  end  of  the  afternoon  tour  we 
were  exhausted,  exhilarated  and  agi- 
tated. Our  cabin  fever  worsened  over 
the  weeks.  Our  Victorian  town  house 
had  been  designed  long  ago  for  privacy 


from  the  houses  close  on  either  side. 
The  southern  wall  was  windowless  and 
the  morning  sun  whisked  through  the 
living  room  and  disappeared  for  the 
day.  We  consulted  an  architect  friend 
who  diagnosed  our  fever  as  "glass-house 
itis  with  complications  of  envy."  His 
treatment,  designing  alterations  for 
our  modest  house,  brought  temporary 
relief.  However,  when  the  time  came 
to  sign  the  construction  contract,  the 
true  dimensions  of  the  disease  became 
evident.  Wonderful  new  bay  windows 
in  the  living  room  were  not  going  to 
cure  my  longing  for  lots  of  glass,  a 
southern  exposure,  gravel  underfoot 
and  Ficus  pumila  creeping  up  the  walls. 
The  disease  had  gestated  through  the 
predictable  stages  of  windowsill  garden- 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


photos  by  author 


ing,  terrariums,  light  gardening,  and 
glass  porch  to  the  terminal  stage  of 
GREENHOUSE. 

We  cured  "glass-house-itis"  by  mov- 
ing to  a house  we  had  long  admired, 
next  to  friends  we  dearly  loved.  This 
house  was  nestled  against  a hillside, 
and  adjacent  to  the  kitchen  on  the 
southeast  side,  was  the  perfect  site  for 
a greenhouse.  I should  add  that  this 
new  home  also  provided  my  husband 
with  an  excellent  carpentry  workshop 
space,  which  he  needed  just  as  much  as 
I craved  glass.  Before  we  had  even 
moved  into  our  house  we  tramped 
through  snow  with  measuring  tapes 
and  catalogs,  accompanied  by  an  ex- 
perienced greenhouse  contractor.  We 
chose  a lean-to  model  that  provided 
the  largest  glass  space  possible,  a curv- 
ing roof  and  glass  to  the  ground.  It  was 
not  practical  to  extend  our  oil-fired 
hot  air  heating  system  so  we  followed 
the  advice  of  our  contractor  and 
ordered  a propane  gas  heater  with  out- 
side vent.  The  promise  "under  glass 
before  November"  was  kept  and  our 
collection  of  old  favorite  plants  was 
moved  in  before  frost. 

BEFORE  (Four  weeks  after  the  freeze) 


▲ 

Platycerium  bifurcatum  on  cork 
AFTER  (Six  months  after)  ▼ 


I revelled  in  the  crisp  gravel  under- 
foot, the  deep  sink  to  slop  in,  the  auto- 
matic ventilator,  but  most  of  all,  at  the 
accessibility  of  this  new  room.  Sliding 
glass  doors  opened  from  a sunny  hall 
connecting  kitchen  to  living  room.  A 


. . . the  heater  malfunctioned: 
moisture  in  the  fuel  line  blocked 
production  of  heat  while  the  fan 
furiously  blew  in  2 air. 


unusual  Crassula  cuttings,  a rare  dwarf 
kumquat  and  Ficus pumila  to  creep  up 
the  white  stucco  walls. 

Soon  fluorescent  lights  and  a pierced 
tin  lantern  made  up  for  the  shrinking 
sun  and  extended  evening  gardening 
and  sitting  hours.  On  dark,  snowy 
mornings  I would  switch  on  the  green- 
house lights  before  walking  dachshunds 
on  the  cold  hillside.  How  cozy  and 
bright  that  little  curved  house  looked, 
protected  from  the  prevailing  westerly 
wind  and  glowing  like  a jewel.  I photo- 
graphed it  at  dawn  one  early  January 
morning  so  my  scattered  family  could 
share  the  sight. 

By  mid-February  everything  in  the 
greenhouse  awaited  spring.  My  Hoya 
carnosa  had  stunning  blooms,  Pitto- 
sporum  flowers  scented  the  air  and  the 
small  Clivia  had  produced  its  first  bud. 
Saturday,  February  17th  was  one  of 
the  pleasantest  days  of  my  life.  It  was 
the  first  sunny  weekend  in  months  and 
eight  inches  of  snow  reflected  that  sun 
dazzingly.  From  my  husband's  work- 
shop came  a fine  little  greenhouse 
bench  fitting  just  above  the  propane 
heater  and  extending  the  windowsill 

continued 


sliding  screen  door  kept  dachshunds 
and  kitties  out  of  the  greenery.  With 
my  history,  it  was  obvious  that  we 
would  use  our  greenhouse  as  a conserv- 
atory or  sun  room  rather  than  for  exten- 
sive propagation.  A slate  table  and 
Mexican  leather  chairs  fit  beautifully. 
We  settled  into  life  in  the  glass  age. 

I quickly  discovered  the  delights  of 
reading  the  Sunday  N.Y.  Times  under 
glass,  writing  letters,  breakfasting  and 
even  paying  bills  under  glass.  Rain  and 
red  maple  leaves  pasted  on  the  graceful 
curving  eaves  were  enchanting.  A string 
of  migrating  geese  viewed  through  the 
roof  was  unforgettable.  Friends  contri- 
buted special  plants:  a stately  Araucaria, 


Platycerium  bifurcatum  on  osmunda 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


PEOPLE  WED  LIVE  IN  GLASS  HOUSES  • • continued 


into  the  kitchen.  Into  this  bench  went 
a heating  cable,  hardware  cloth,  perlite, 
and  presto— cuttings.  Geraniums, Sedum 
morganianum,  impatiens,  all  tucked 
into  a moist,  warm  bed.  Lunch  in  the 
sun,  dachshund  noses  pressed  against 
the  screen,  and  absolutely  no  cabin 
fever. 

We  left  the  greenhouse  lighted  that 
night  when  we  drove  across  town  to 
have  dinner  with  friends  and  noted 
that  the  outdoor  thermometer  was 
dropping  toward  zero.  Sometime  dur- 
ing our  five-hour  absence  the  heater 
malfunctioned:  moisture  in  the  fuel  line 
blocked  production  of  heat  while  the 
fan  furiously  blew  in  2°  air.  We  return- 
ed to  a brightly  lighted  greenhouse  full 
of  grotesque  greenery— either  crisp  or 
limp.  We  dialed  the  propane  emergency 
service  and  moved  everything  possible 
into  the  kitchen. 

Waiting  for  the  repair  truck  was  like 
being  at  a wake.  Plants  I had  nurtured 
for  20  years  were  obviously  dead  along 
with  the  new  exotic  gift  plants.  The 
only  sure  survivors  were  the  cable- 
heated  cuttings  in  the  brand-new  bench 
and  the  Ficus  pumila  climbing  on  the 
wall.  On  Sunday  we  interred  the 
Araucaria,  the  dwarf  kumquat,  the 
Hoya  and  a host  of  others.  It's  no  fun 
making  compost  of  old  friends.  By 


nightfall  I felt  like  stoning  that  green- 
house salesman. 

After  a night's  sleep,  phoning  seemed 
more  practical  than  stoning.  My  friend- 
ly representative  rose  to  the  telephone 
challenge  and  defused  my  anger  with 
his  candid  answers  and  practical  sug- 
gestions. He  admitted  that  recently 
installed  propane  heaters  were  not 
proving  as  reliable  as  older  ones,  and 
yet,  of  all  such  heaters  manufactured, 

Plants  I had  nurtured  for  20  years 
were  obviously  dead  along  with 
the  new  exotic  gift  plants. 

this  company's  worked  best.  Guarantee? 
Only  "to  operate  past  start-up  and  re- 
placement of  parts  for  a year."  For  our 
problem— "a  bit  of  moisture  in  the 
line"— the  suggested  treatment  was  to 
increase  insulation  of  exposed  tubing. 
There  was  no  guarantee  that  it  wouldn't 
happen  again.  The  gist  of  our  conversa- 
tion was  that  people  who  live  in  glass 
houses  should  do  disaster  planning.  He 
promised  to  send  information  that 
would  help. 

Back  at  work  I felt  my  black  arm 
band  must  be  visible  to  all.  Since  my 
job  at  PHS  puts  me  in  the  thick  of  the 
horticultural  community,  I quickly  dis- 
covered that  the  frigid  weekend  had 


affected  greenhouses  far  more  profes- 
sional than  ours.  I began  an  experience 
akin  to  group  therapy.  I heard  about 
disasters  of  earlier  years  and  learned 
about  ingenious  survival  tactics.  George 
Clark  left  his  greenhouse  one  January, 
under  the  care  of  a friend  who  had  to 
cope  with  an  ice  storm.  Nine  branches 
crashed  through  the  glass.  Borrowing 
tarps  from  a builder,  she  flooded  the 
greenhouse  floor  with  hot  water,  sav- 
ing ninety  percent  of  the  Clarks'col- 
lection.  The  advice  from  another  experi- 
enced plantsperson,  Sally  Reath,  was 
to  keep  track  of  what  survived  and  con- 
centrate on  those  plants  in  the  future. 
Other  wise  friends  urged  pruning  and 
patience  for  plants  that  might  regener- 
ate. I pruned  with  a heavy  hand  and 
heart.  Bougainvillea,  Hedera  helix, 
Podocarpus  all  got  the  axe  and  were 
photographed  like  criminals.  Perhaps 
after  warmth,  water  and  well-wishing 
there  would  be  something  to  contrast 
to  the  "mug"  shots.  The  pictures  on 
these  pages  illustrate  some  of  many  suc- 
cessful comebacks. 

As  promised,  the  packet  of  disaster 
planning  materials  arrived,  followed  by 
another  most  helpful  45-minute  phone 
call  from  our  greenhouse  salesman.  We 
discussed  every  greenhouse  owner's 
worst  dreams:  power  failures,  freezing. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


cooking,  flooding,  you  name  it.  At  the 
end  of  this  article  you'll  find  a list  of 
some  simple,  unsophisticated  treat- 
ments for  greenhouse  traumas  and  also 
a few  names  and  addresses  of  suppliers 
of  more  sophisticated  mechanical  solu- 
tions. Among  the  latter  is  a service  that 
really  appeals  to  me.  It  not  only  costs 
considerable  money  but  requires  an 
extraordinary  friendship.  I'm  sure  it 
would  improve  the  quality  of  life  under 
glass.  It  involves  a battery-operated 
alarm  system  which  when  activated  by 
power  failure  or  the  high/low  temper- 


ature you  have  chosen,  will  alert  up  to 
five  telephone  numbers.  Either  an 
answering  service  or  a recorded  message 
will  proclaim  the  SOS,  the  first  number 
of  course,  your  own,  then  your  fore- 
man (who  has  a foreman?)  and  next,  a 
very  good  friend  (best,  one  who  lives 
close-by). 

I'm  giving  a lot  of  thought  to  those 
phone  numbers.  It  would  be  ideal  if  I 
could  find  someone  for  whom  I could 
perform  the  same  service— someone 
with  a greenhouse.  Now  that  I think  of 
it,  my  closest  neighbors,  the  ones  I've 


known  longest,  do  very  well  with 
windowsill  gardening.  Perhaps  a terrar 
ium  equipped  with  a gro-light  would 
be  a nice  Christmas  present.  Then,  in 
January  we'll  invite  them  for  brunch 
in  our  greenhouse  before  the  Indoor 
Garden  Tour.  Is  it  too  much  to  hope 
that  they'll  arrive  with  a touch  of 
cabin  fever? 


Mary  Lou  Wolfe  is  the  PHS  horticultural 
librarian.  She  feels  she  is  facing  this  winter 
more  prepared  than  last. 


FATALITIES 

SURVIVORS 

Schlumbergera  bridgesii  (Christmas  cactus) 

Sedum  morganianum 

Ficus  pumila 

Impatiens  (New  Guinea  hybrids) 

Sedum  pachyphyllum 

Pittosporum  tobira  'Variegata' 

Begonia  Rieger's 

Browallia  sp. 

Fatshedera  lizei 

Asplenium  bulbiferum  (mother  fern) 

Araucaria  sp. 

Ceropegia  woodii  (rosary  vine) 

Lygodium  scandens 

Fortunella  hindsii 

Mammillaria  sp. 

Echeveria  sp. 

Crassula  sp. 

Tillandsia  ionantha 

Spathiphyllum  sp. 

Hoya  carnosa 

Platycerium  bifurcatum  (staghorn  fern) 

Amaryllis  sp. 

Podocarpus  sp. 

Hedera  helix 

Pelargonium  sp. 

Olivia  sp. 

Bougainvillea  sp. 

Aloe  variegata 

Cyclamen  sp. 

Cyperus  sp. 

PEOPLE  WHO  LIVE  IN  GLASS  HOUSES  SHOULD  PLAN  FOR  EMERGENCIES 

Auxiliary  heat 

If  you  have  power: 

Electric  space  heaters:  require  high-load,  3-prong  electrical  outlet.  Should  be  stored  away  from  greenhouse  and  used  for 
emergencies  only  unless  specifically  designed  for  humid  conditions  of  greenhouse. 

Those  designed  for  greenhouse  use  are  available  with  thermostat  to  activate  automatically  when  temperature  drops. 
During  power  failure: 

Hibachi  stoves:  use  on  greenhouse  floor.  Provide  fresh  air  intake  if  used  more  than  a few  hours. 

‘Coleman  camper  stoves 

Salamanders:  portable  space  heaters  that  burn  kerosene 

ALH,  Inc.,  Nashville,  TN,  a subsidiary  of  Aladdin  Industries,  Inc. 

P.O.  Box  7235,  Nashville,  TN  37210 

Open  flame  thermostatically  controlled  gas  heater  using  L.P.  gas  or  natural  gas.  Some  models  require  vent  pipe. 

Southern  Burner  Co. 

P.O.  Box  885 
Chickasha,  OK  73018 

Alarms 

‘Thermalarm:  rings  bell  or  buzzer  in  your  home  when  temperature  in  your  greenhouse  drops  or  rises  above  specified  temper- 
atures. Extra  power  failure  relay  available. 

*Phon-alert  dialer  for  use  with  ‘Thermalarm:  dials  up  to  five  different  telephone  numbers  to  announce  a temperature  emergency 
or  power  failure  in  your  greenhouse.  Available  through  a number  of  companies. 

E.  C.  Geiger 
Box  285 

Harleysville,  PA  215-256-6511 

‘Digital  communicator:  a central  station  two-way  communication  system  which  can  signal  various  emergencies  such  as  green- 
house temperature  problems,  home  intrusion,  fire.  Available  through  a number  of  alarm  companies.  One  of  these  is: 
Security  On-Line  Systems,  Inc. 

6198  Butler  Pike 

Blue  Bell,  PA  19422  215-628-9190 
Miscellaneous  aids  and  suggestions  for  cold  emergencies: 

Insurance:  frozen  pipes  and  broken  glass  are  generally  covered  under  homeowners'  policies;  frozen  plants  are  not.  My  insurance 
agent  suggested  Lloyd's  of  London  for  plant  collections  that  merit  expensive  coverage.  (Out  of  my  league.) 

Tarps:  spread  over  exterior  roof  to  retard  heat  loss. 

Misting  frozen  leaves  as  they  thaw  may  prevent  some  foliage  loss. 

Run  hot  water  on  greenhouse  floor. 

Clear  or  black  plastic  spread  over  plants  may  prevent  damage. 

‘Trademark  name 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Two  ways  of  using  Wonderlite 


WONDERLITE 


8 


A modified  mercury-vapor  bulb  matches  the 

performance  of  fluorescent  tubes  in  maintaining 

house  plants  and  bringing  them  into  bloom.  It 

also  expands  the  possibilities  for  placing  @ by  George  Elbert 

large  plants  in  out  of  the  way  spots  indoors. 


Superb  as  the  results  haye  been  in 
growing  plants  under  fluorescent  light, 
many  indoor  gardeners  have  wished 
for  some  source  of  artificial  light  that 
would  not  set  such  severe  limits  on  the 
size  of  the  plants.  They  have  wished, 
too,  for  less  cumbersome  fixtures, 
better  suited  to  home  decoration. 
People  prefer  a bulb  either  like  the  nor- 
mal incandescent  filament,  or  the  fam- 
iliar flood  and  spot  lamps.  A succession 
of  these  have  been  tried  and  found 
wanting  until  the  Wonderlite  came 
along.  It  is  a product  of  the  Public  Ser- 
vice Lamp  Corp.  in  New  York  City. 
How  the  experiences  of  amateur  indoor 
gardeners  with  fluorescent  lamps  pre- 
pared them  to  understand  and  appreci- 
ate this  bulb  is  worth  recounting  as  a 
peculiar  chapter  in  horticultural  history. 

In  the  1 950s  it  was  discovered  that 
plants  are  especially  dependent  for 
growth  and  bloom  on  the  blue  and  far- 
red  light  of  the  sun's  spectrum.  Manu- 
facturers promptly  formulated  and 


marketed  fluorescent  lamps  that  emit- 
ted most  of  their  light  in  these  colors. 
For  a long  time  amateur  growers  were 
more  concerned  with  engineering  data 
and  graphs  than  with  the  performance 
of  their  plants.  But  eventually  a credi- 
bility gap  developed  between  growers 
and  the  light  experts  when  they  came 
to  realize  that  plants  were  not  respond- 
ing as  well  as  was  to  be  expected  from 
manufacturers'  claims. 

Nobody,  then  or  now,  has  questioned 
the  blue/far-red  evidence.  Something 
else,  however,  was  involved.  Sheer 
quantity  of  the  two  important  colors 
was  not  enough.  Perhaps  plants  were 
selective  even  within  these  ranges  and 
perhaps  they  also  needed  some  amounts 
of  the  other  colors.  In  any  event,  tech- 
nicians began  to  catch  on  that  some- 
thing was  wrong  and  manufacturers 
came  out  with  lamps  touted  as  being 
equivalent  to  sunlight  but  that  actually 
were  just  a wider  mix  of  spectrum  col- 
ors. At  least  they  were  better  than  the 


original  lamps.  Nothing  definite  has 
been  learned  about  how  to  define  a 
plant  growth  spectrum.  As  far  as  house 
plants  are  concerned,  the  real  discover- 
ies (except  for  the  blue/far-red)  have 
been  made  by  amateurs.  They  solved 
their  problems  empirically, 
amateurs'  solutions  superior 
Amateurs,  dissatisfied  with  manu- 
facturers' claims,  continued  to  try  dif- 
ferent fluorescent  lamps.  And  it  was 
not  long  before  they  concluded  that 
a combination  of  Cool  White  (CW)  and 
Warm  White  (WW)  tubes  was  superior 
to  any  of  the  specially  formulated 
"growth"  lamps.  The  U.S.  Department 
of  Agriculture,  after  a number  of  false 
starts,  gave  its  blessing  to  this  combina- 
tion-long after  the  majority  of  indoor 
gardeners  had  switched  to  it.  A pleasant 
twist  is  that  CW  and  WW  are  the  cheap- 
est and  most  common  commercial 
lamps  on  the  market.  Among  standard 
fluorescent  lamps  they  also  have  the 
highest  visible  light  output. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


photos  by  author 


Since  then  the  only  improvement  in 
fluorescent  tubes  for  plants  has  come 
from  the  Verilux  T ru Bloom  lamp,  origi- 
nally formulated  for  other  purposes. 

Its  merits  were  discovered  only  by 
chance— and  again  by  amateurs.  They 
found  that  it  produced  more  compact 
and  more  floriferous  plants,  although 
the  light  was  softer,  and  considerably 
more  natural  in  color  to  the  average 
eye,  than  other  lamps. 

Without  these  experiences  the  value 
of  Wonderlite  might  still  be  unrecog- 
nized while  light  gardening  hobbyists 
continued  to  pore  over  lists  of  specifi- 
cations, such  as  lumens  and  graphs  of 
spectral  distribution.  They  had  learned 
that  plants  didn't  necessarily  follow 
the  scientific  theories;the  only  criterion 
for  judging  a lamp  was  how  well  the 
plants  grew  and  bloomed. 

While  testing  fluorescent  tubes  on 
their  plants,  amateurs  had  also  learned 
about  the  various  types  of  bulbs.  They 
found  that  incandescent  filament  lamps 
were  too  hot  and  very  inefficient  in 
growing.  The  small  reflector  plant  lights 
that  are  still  being  sold  everywhere 
were  never  taken  seriously  by  serious 
growers.  Multi-vapor  metal  halide  lamps 
are  unstable  in  color.  Sodium  vapor, 
though  highly  efficient  light  producers, 
are  unsuitable  for  home  use  because 
they  put  out  heat  and  have  a ghastly 
yellow  color. 

Mercury  vapor  lamps  seemed  at  first 
to  offer  some  degree  of  improvement. 
The  bulb  incorporated  the  ballast  and 
could  be  installed  in  an  ordinary  light 
socket.  But,  here  again,  color  was  in- 
adequate—a steely  blue,  lacking  in  the 
necessary  red  rays.  It  was  a stopgap 
until  something  better  came  along. 

Abouttwo  years  ago,  when  involved 
in  some  practical  tests  on  plants  using 
normal  mercury  vapor  bulbs,  the  Public 
Service  Lamp  Corp.  sent  me  two 
sample  bulbs  of  a new  type  that  they 
described  as  mercury  vapor  with  the 
addition  of  a chemical  called  'Phos- 
phorsol'  (patent  applied  for).  It  was 
immediately  apparent  that,  to  the  blu- 
ish color  of  the  ordinary  bulbs,  a strong 
dose  of  orange  and  red  had  been  added. 
I placed  a number  of  plants  not  yet  in 
bud  under  these  lamps.  Within  two 
months  I could  report  a definite  result. 
All  the  plants  had  set  buds  and  bloomed 
satisfactorily.  Among  these  were  some 
that  demand  high  light  intensities,  such 
as  Jatropha  integerrima,  lantana  and 
geranium.  No  other  bulb  had  even 


approached  this  degree  of  effectiveness, 

a revolutionary  breakthrough 

Because  my  own  experiments  are 
unscientific,  without  systematic  con- 
trols, we  needed  confirmation  from 
other  sources.  Sample  lamps  were  dis- 
tributed to  many  amateur  light  garden- 
ers. The  reaction  ranged  from  neutral 
to  enthusiastic  as  was  to  be  expected, 
but  no  one  condemned  the  lamp  except 
rival  manufacturers.  Enough  time  has 
now  passed,  and  the  lamps  are  installed 
in  so  many  homes  and  institutions,  that 
there  is  no  longer  any  doubt  that 

Wonderlite  can  succeed  with  the 
big  plants  that  do  not  fit  under 
the  fluorescents.  And  it  elimi- 
nates the  need  to  keep  geranium, 
lantana,  crossandra,  clerodendrum 
dwarfed. 

Wonderlite  represents  a revolutionary 
breakthrough  in  lighting  plants  for 
growth  and  flowering. 

You  can  use  Wonderlite  to  grow 
plants  from  one  ft.  to  five  ft.  in  height. 
Suspend  it  in  a shade  directly  over  the 
plants.  It  fits  various  types  of  adjustable- 
head  standing  lamps.  It  can  be  used  in 
an  electrified  pressure  pole,  installed  in 
track  lighting  or  recessed  in  the  ceiling. 
In  short,  it  can  be  used  in  exactly  the 
same  way  as  an  incandescent  reflector 
lamp. 

This  bulb  does  not  eliminate  the 
necessity,  familiar  to  fluorescent  light 
hobbyists,  of  placing  plants  very  care- 
fully in  relation  to  the  source.  Though 
it  is  much  cooler  than  an  incandescent 
flood,  figure  IY2  ft.  as  the  minimum 
distance  between  the  tops  of  plants 
and  the  bulb.  The  maximum  distance 
is  about  4 ft.  High  light  and  blooming 
plants  must  be  close  to  the  lamp  and 
lower  light  plants  progressively  nearer 


to  the  outer  limits.  For  each  category 
of  plant  the  matter  of  a few  inches 
closer  or  farther  away  may  make  the 
difference  between  success  and  failure 
in  maintaining  and  blooming. 

Except  under  laboratory  conditions 
we  can  establish  no  exact  rules  for 
distance.  In  a high  humidity  environ- 
ment the  plants  can  be  placed  further 
away  than  in  a dry  atmosphere.  Venti- 
lation and  temperature  also  play  roles. 


wonderlite— what  is  it? 

The  Wonderlite  isa  1 60-watt  mercury- 
vapor  lamp  shaped  like  an  ordinary  incan- 
descent reflector  bulb  (spot  or  flood, 
called  a PAR)  that  fits  into  the  normal 
size  home  socket.  The  socket  must  be 
ceramic,  as  for  all  wattages  1 50  or  over. 
The  interior  is  coated  with  a silvery 
reflector  that  extends  down  the  shank  to 
within  1 y2  in.  of  the  base.  Mercury -vapor 
lamps  go  through  two  phases  in  lighting 
up,  the  first  lasting  two  or  three  minutes, 
after  which  it  achieves  true  color  and  in- 
tensity. If  the  lamp  is  turned  off  it  will 
not  light  up  again  for  three  or  four  min- 
utes. The  switch,  however,  can  be  turned 
on  immediately  after  darkening  the  lamp 
and  the  cooling  phase  will  proceed  nor- 
mally. In  practice  there  is  no  problem. 

The  guaranteed  life  of  the  lamp  is 
12,000  hours,  which  is  six  times  that  of 
a spot  or  flood.  The  growth  area  covered 
is  at  least  a yard  in  diameter,  which  is 
equivalent  to  that  serviced  by  a pair  of 
two  tube,  40-watt  fluorescent  fixtures 
(160  watts).  At  $45  to  $50  per  bulb 
retail,  initial  cost  and  operating  expense 
is  only  a little  more  than  the  fluorescent 
installation,  with  the  advantage  of  much 
greater  versatility.  For  commercial  situ- 
ations, special  order  Wonderlites  with 
higher  wattages  are  even  more  efficient. 
That  is  to  say  that  a 300-watt  bulb  emits 
more  than  twice  as  much  light  as  a 1 50- 
watter,  and  can  cover  more  than  twice 
the  area. 


Each  grower  must  learn  to  judge  accord- 
ing to  experience  and  knowledge  of 
the  plants. 

Consider  that  fluorescent  lamps  con- 
fine our  growing  (except  when  many 
lamps  are  used)  to  the  height  of  a table 
model  unit  or  the  space  between 
shelves— a matter  of  2%  ft.  at  the  most. 
In  calculating  the  size  of  the  plants  we 
can  grow,  we  must  deduct  the  height 
of  the  pot.  Larger  plants  have  taller 
pots.  Thus  we  can  figure  on  no  more 
than  a plant  2 ft.  high— and  that  is 
exceptional.  This  limitation  is  princi- 
pally because  the  large  amount  of  light 
fluorescent  tubes  produce  is  distributed, 
and  diluted,  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  lamp. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


continued 


WONDERLITE 


A bulb  that  emits  the  same  amount 
of  light  as  a fluorescent  tube  concen- 
trates it  initially  in  a small  area  and, 
though  the  drop-off  is  more  rapid  as 
the  distance  from  source  increases,  it 
starts  out  very  much  stronger.  When 
we  use  a fluorescent  tube  we  string  the 
plants  out  all  along  its  length,  with 
their  tops  very  close  to  it.  Under  a 
bulb,  such  as  Wonderlite,  we  achieve 
the  greatest  amount  of  coverage  by 
arranging  the  plants  in  a circle.  The 
diameter  of  the  blooming  area  is  about 
3 ft.  when  the  tops  of  the  plants  are 
2 ft.  below  the  lamp.  A few  low  light 
flowering  and  most  foliage  plants  suc- 
ceed at  up  to  3 ft.  At  greater  distances 
below  or  to  the  side,  the  light  is  suffi- 
cient only  for  foliage  growth. 

A company  chart  (Fig.  A)  demon- 
strates these  figures.  Beyond  4 ft.,  only 
a very  few  kinds  of  foliage  plants  can 
survive.  If  it  is  considered,  for  instance, 
that  a Wonderlite  bulb  in  a 9 ft.  ceiling 
(most  are  8 ft.  these  days)  can  take 
care  of  a 5Vz  to  6 ft.  plant,  that  is  quite 
an  accomplishment. 

A problem  with  all  tall  plants  is  that 
an  overhead  light  source  does  not  reach 
down  far  enough  to  prevent  leaves 
dying  off  at  the  bottom.  Where  plants 
are  set  in  corners  the  lamp  should  be 
angled  toward  them  rather  than  set 
directly  above.  Where  large  groups  of 
plants  are  away  from  a wall,  two  or 
more  lamps  angled  from  the  side  are 
most  effective. 

time  for  lights 

How  long  to  burn  the  lights  each 
day  depends  on  the  types  of  plants 
you  are  growing.  A collection  of  low 
light  foliage  plants— such  as  ti  and  corn- 
stalk—may  need  only  8 hours  if  close 
to  the  bulb,  though  12  to  14  hours  if 
distant  from  it.  High  light  foliage  and 


flowering  plants  usually  need  the  longer 
period.  Do  not  take  the  lists  of  light 
requirements  supplied  by  various 
experts  too  seriously.  A parlor  palm 
and  a bombax  (one  low  light  and  the 
other  supposedly  high  light)  have  been 
flourishing  together  in  my  living  room 
for  a long  time  at  a distance  of  4 ft. 
from  the  bulb.  Flowering  plants  usually 
have  to  be  rather  close,  but  many  an 
African  violet  or  terrarium  plant  will 
bloom  much  further  away. 

Compared  with  fluorescent  tubes 
the  Wonderlite  is  more  successful  in 
blooming  plants  that  require  high  light 
intensities.  Orchid  growers  have  found 
that  they  can  bloom  cattleya  and  vanda 
and  many  other  species  and  cultivars 
that  have  been  nearly  impossible  up  to 
now  under  artificial  light.  They  have 
been  enthusiastic  about  the  bulb  both 
for  growing  indoors  and  as  supple- 
mentary light  in  their  greenhouses. 

The  problem  of  blooming  most 
house  plants  has  already  been  solved 
with  fluorescent  tubes.  Wonderlite  can 
succeed  with  the  big  plants  that  do  not 
fit  under  the  fluorescents.  And  it  elimi- 
nates the  need  to  keep  geranium,  lan- 
tana,  crossandra,  clerodendrum— names 
I pick  out  of  the  hat  as  typical— dwarfed. 
Annual  plants  can  be  permitted  to  grow 
much  bigger. 

The  use  of  this  lamp  in  the  home, 
therefore,  is  dictated  not  so  much  by 
the  kind  of  plant  per  se  as  by  its  size. 
The  Wonderlite  can  handle  the  big  ones. 
For  example,  large  succulents  make 
ideal  subjects.  It  is  in  places  like  offices, 
lobbies,  stores  and  restaurants  where 
the  maintenance  of  large  display  plants 
has  become  increasingly  expensive, 
that  the  bulb  can  make  a significant 
difference. 

In  the  lower  light  categories,  to 
which  most  of  these  display  foliage 


plants  belong,  the  repertory  is  very 
wide.  All  the  familiar  ones  that  are 
sold  in  florist  and  plant  shops  do  well. 
For  example,  if  you  want  to  grow  a 
big  polyscias,  a ficus  or  a palm,  in  the 
interior  shaded  area  of  a room,  Wonder- 
lite gives  you  the  means  to  do  so.  You 
may  have  seen  such  plants  growing 
under  ordinary  mercury -vapor  or  incan- 
descent floods  in  department  stores, 
but  you  can  be  sure  that  they  do  not 
last  for  long  and  must  be  replaced. 

Fluorescent  light's  great  accomplish- 
ment is  that  it  enabled  everyone  to 
grow  small  plants  without  benefit  of 
sunlight.  The  large  sculptural  and  dis- 
play plants  still  had  to  be  placed  near  a 
window  where  they  received  sufficient 
daylight.  In  institutional  situations 
where  they  decorated  corridors  and 
lobbies,  continuous  rotation  of  new 
nursery  plants  has  been  necessary.  As 
large  plants  have  become  established  as 
an  integral  part  of  interior  design  the 
plant/window  formula  seriously  limited 
the  freedom  of  interior  architects  and 
decorators— unless  the  problem  was 
simply  ignored,  affecting  the  treatment 
of  windows  and  of  furniture  placement. 
Now  that  Wonderlite  makes  it  possible 
to  maintain  plants  for  longer  periods 
without  sunlight,  this  restriction  is 
lifted.  If  the  bulb  comes  into  more 
general  use  it  will  influence  space 
organization  and  furniture  design  in 
homes  and  wherever  else  large  decora- 
tive plants  are  grown  indoors. 

• 

George  Elbert  is  past  president  of  Indoor 
Light  Garden  Society  of  America,  Inc.  He  is 
also  a member  of  the  Illuminating  Engineer- 
ing Society.  He  wrote,  with  Virginia  Elbert, 
Plants  that  Really  Bloom  Indoors  (Simon  & 
Schuster,  NY  1974)  and  The  Miracle  House 
Plants  (Crown,  1976). 


Plant  Placement,  Light  Spread  j)  and  Temperature  Charts 


TEMPERATURE  READINGS 


1 


DISTANCE 
FROM  LAMP 
IN  FEET 


W 


Courtesy  Public  Service  Lamp  Corp. 


% 


160  WATT  WONDERLITE 


/# 
/ ♦ 
/ ♦ 

\ \ 

% \ 

CIRCLE 
DIAMETER 
IN  FEET  _ 

3 

84° 

1 

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/ 

A 

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most  f 

owerin 

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5 

76° 

/ 

D/ 

B 

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r r 

some  flowerin 

r 

g 

6 

75° 

5. 

C 

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1 

1 1 

mostly  foliage 

1 1 

7 

the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


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NEW  PLANTS 

FROM 

RADIATION 

Yellow  violets?  Fire  engine  red  violets?  There’s  no  end 
to  the  scientists’  imagination. 

(^)  by  Randall  P.  Niedz 

Ever  since  geneticists  Muller  and  Stadler  showed  that  man 
could  "create”  genetic  deviants  or  mutations  with  X-rays,  and 
at  a much  higher  rate  than  naturally  occurring  mutations,  geneti- 
cists have  been  excited  by  the  idea  of  using  radiation  to  arti- 
ficially mutate  plants  to  improve  their  usefulness  to  man.  Within 
the  last  1 5 years  several  hundred  mutant  plants,  food  and  orna- 
mental, have  been  released  to  the  public. 

nature  and  effect  of  radiation 

The  primary  cause  of  mutations  in  living  organisms  is  radi- 
ation-natural and  induced.  Natural  mutations  are  caused  pri- 
marily by  cosmic  rays,  which  consist  of  high  energy  particles, 
and  various  forms  of  solar  radiation.  For  example,  the  type  of 
cosmic  ray  that  causes  skin  to  burn  ortan  is  ultraviolet  radiation, 
and  the  cosmic  ray  that  warms  the  earth  is  infrared  radiation. 

Induced  mutations  are  caused  by  radiation  and  chemicals. 
The  radiation  used  to  artificially  induce  mutations  is  the  same 
as  the  cosmic  rays  that  constantly  bombard  the  earth,  except 
they  are  administered  by  scientists  at  dosages  higher  than  found 
in  nature.  By  way  of  illustration,  it  takes  several  hours  in  the 
sun  to  develop  a tan  (or  burn),  while  only  a few  minutes  under 
a store-bought  sunlamp  are  equivalent  to  those  hours  spent 
under  the  sun.  Physicians  make  use  of  cosmic  rays.  When  an  X- 
ray  is  taken  of  our  bones  we  are  simply  being  exposed  to  a 
higher  than  normal  dosage  of  a specific,  naturally  occurring 

continued 


Figure  1 : A genetic  chimera  in  Exacum  affine.  Half 
the  plant  produces  purple  flowers  and 
half  produces  white  flowers. 


Figure  2:  The  currently  available  E.  affine  'Blithe 
Spirit’  (right), and  the  recently  developed 
but  not  yet  released  mutant  by  Penn 
State  University  (left).  The  mutant  is 
self-branching  and  therefore  needs  no 
pinching. 


2 


Figure  3:  Penn  State  University  is  developing  a cas- 
cading E.  affine  (right)  for  hanging  bas- 
kets and  an  upright  (left)  for  windowsills 
or  table  tops. 

Figure  4:  Exacum  on  the  right  mutated  to  the 

white  Exacum  on  the  left.  The  mutant 
white  is  the  same  as  the  plant  in  Figure  2. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


NEW  PLANTS  FROM  RADIATION 


cosmic  ray. 

Radiation  causes  two  basic  types  of 
changes— genetic  (inherited)  and  physio- 
logical (noninherited).  Genetic  changes 
are  commonly  known  as  mutations. 
Bjorn  Sigurbjornsson,  a well-known 
scientist  in  the  field  of  mutation  induc- 
tion in  plants,  has  defined  a mutation 
as  "a  sudden  change  in  the  hereditary 
material  of  an  organism."  Mutations 
that  occur  naturally  are  called  spon- 
taneous mutations.  Artificially  induced 
mutations,  in  principle,  are  the  same  as 
spontaneous  mutations  but  simply 
quicker  and  more  numerous.  Further- 
more, like  spontaneous  mutations, 
almost  all  induced  mutations  are  dele- 
terious in  their  effects  on  the  plant. 
The  question  is  often  asked  why  muta- 
tions are  so  often  harmful  to  a plant. 
The  answer  is  analagous  to  someone 
randomly  adding,  removing,  or  rearrang- 
ing the  parts  of  a finely  tuned  automo- 
bile engine,  the  most  likely  result  of 
such  tampering  is  of  course  a poorer 
engine  rather  than  a better  one.  How- 
ever, once  in  a while  a beneficial  muta- 
tion occurs  that  increases  the  plant's 
ability  to  survive  and,  hence,  its  useful- 
ness to  man.  For  example,  a plant  may 
mutate  to  a form  more  resistant  to  a 
certain  disease,  or  a form  that  has 
larger  and  showier  flowers,  thereby 
making  it  more  attractive  to  pollina- 
ting insects. 

Noninherited  changes  are  commonly 
known  as  physiological  changes.  A non- 
inherited change  is  different  from  a 
genetic  change  in  degree  rather  than 
type.  For  example,  a plant  that  is  ex- 
posed to  radiation  may  grow  more  slow- 
ly for  a few  weeks  after  treatment  and 
then  resume  normal  growth  thereafter. 

use  of  radiation  in  plant  breeding 

The  use  of  mutation  breeding  to 
improve  plants  is  particularly  valuable 
in  ornamental  crops,  for  unlike  food 
crops  that  are  generally  adversely  affect- 


ed by  induced  mutations,  such  charac- 
teristics are  more  highly  valued  in  orna- 
mentals since  novelty  is  usually  a virtue. 
Horticulturally  important  traits  in 
ornamentals  would  include,  for  instance, 
flower  color,  flower  number,  flower 


One  of  the  primary  goals  of  the 
African  violet  breeding  program 
at  Penn  State  is  the  development 
of  the  canary  yellow  violet. 


size,  foliage  variation,  plant  form,  and 
disease  resistance. 

The  number  of  mutations,  good 
and  bad,  that  can  be  expected  depends 
upon  the  type  of  radiation  used,  the 
dose  of  that  radiation,  the  species  of 
plant  irradiated,  the  age  and  condition 
of  the  plant,  the  type  of  plant  material 
treated,  and  the  genetic  background  of 
the  plant.  Since  so  many  variables  are 
involved,  mutation  rates  of  1 0%  to  60% 
have  been  observed.  Another  important 
characteristic  of  induced  mutations  to 
be  kept  in  mind  is  that  the  majority  of 
mutations  will  not  be  seen  in  the 
treated  plants.  This  phenomenon  is 
easily  understood  with  a basic  knowl- 
edge of  genetics,  but  all  it  means  to 
the  plant  breeder  is  that  seed  must  be 
collected  from  the  treated  plants  and 
grown  out  for  observation.  Metaphori- 
cally, this  means  that  any  mutations 
caused  by  the  radiation  will  be  seen  in 
the  offspring  of  the  treated  parent 
plants. 

mutation  breeding  at  Penn  State 

Under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Richard 
Craig,  breeder  and  geneticist,  one  of 
the  current  research  programs  at  The 
Pennsylvania  State  University  isdirect- 
ed  towards  plants  that  flower  under 
relatively  low  light  conditions.  Two  of 
tne  primary  plants  being  worked  with 
at  Penn  State  are  Exacum  affine  (Per- 


sian violet)  and  African  violets.  These 
two  plants  are  not  related. 

Exacum  affine  is  a plant  that  will 
flower  profusely  indoors  on  any  bright 
windowsill.  Its  ability  to  bloom  pro- 
lifically  with  dozens  of  flowers  is  un- 
matched by  any  house  plant,  including 
African  violets.  Purple  or  white  flowers 
contrasted  over  a glossy  green  foliage 
make  an  impressive  color  combination 
rivaling  any  flowering  species.  However, 
E.  affine  is  extremely  susceptible  to 
Botrytis,  a common  fungal  pathogen 
that  plagues  all  greenhouse  operators. 
Botrytis  susceptibility  is  one  of  the 
primary  reasons  E.  affine  is  not  com- 
monly used  in  the  home  like  the  Afri- 
can violet.  Furthermore,  the  number 
of  commercial  cultivars  of  E.  affine  is 
extremely  limited  (about  six)  and 
represent  plants  with  either  purple  or 
white  flowersand  fairly  uniform  foliage. 

Bearing  these  characteristics  in  mind 
Craig  chose  to  initiate  a mutation  breed- 
ing study.  He  hoped,  through  the  use 
of  radiation  to  induce  mutations,  they 
could  develop  plants  resistant  to  Botry- 
tis, as  well  as  a greater  variety  of  culti- 
vars. Figure  1 pictures  an  Exacum  with 
a mutation  known  as  a chimera.  One- 
half  of  the  plant  has  white  flowers  and 
the  other  half  purple  flowers.  A chi- 
mera is  when  one  plant  has  cells  that 
are  genetically  different  from  another. 
The  word  "chimera"  is  taken  from  the 
creature  in  Greek  mythology  that  had 
a lion's  head,  a goat's  body,  and  a ser- 
pent's tail.  In  mutation  breeding  chim- 
erasare  very  common  and  can  be  mani- 
fested in  a variety  of  ways.  Many  times 
the  chimera  is  only  a single  branch 
that  is  different  from  the  rest  of  the 
plant.  If  the  chimera  is  attractive  it 
can  be  cut  off  and  grown  into  an  entire 
plant  exhibiting  that  characteristic. 

An  example  of  an  improvement 
through  mutation  is  shown  in  Figure  2. 
The  plant  on  the  right  is  the  current 
commercially  available  E.  affine  'Blithe 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Spirit'  and  the  plant  on  the  left  is  a 
mutant  developed  at  Penn  State.  E. 
affine  is  usually  pinched  to  encourage 
branching,  but  the  mutant  is  self- 
branching and  requires  no  pinching.  A 
self-branching  plant  is  very  appealing 
to  a commercial  grower  who  is  con- 
stantly trying  to  cut  costs.  Furthermore, 
the  mutant  is  tremendously  floriferous 
in  contrast  to  'Blithe  Spirit,'  an  unques- 
tionable plus.  The  biggest  plus  of  all, 
however,  cannot  be  photographed;  this 
Penn  State  mutant  also  shows  potential 
resistance  to  Botrytis. 

The  African  violet  is  another  plant 
that  is  part  of  the  extensive  breeding 
study  by  Craig  and  his  students.  African 
violets  are  unique  plants  to  work  with 
in  a mutation  breeding  program  since 
they  do  not  form  chimeras.  The  reason? 
African  violets  are  vegetatively  propa- 
gated and  each  new  plantlet  originates 
from  a single  cell  in  the  petiole  of  the 
leaf.  Therefore,  a plantlet  that  origi- 
nates from  a mutated  cell  will  have  the 
characteristics  of  that  cell  and  that  cell 
only.  This  not  only  makes  the  African 
violet  a convenient  plant  to  work  with 
since  no  chimeras  are  formed,  but  also 
provides  a very  accurate  count  of  the 
mutation  rate  of  a given  radiation  treat- 
ment. A lower  than  actual  mutation 
rate  is  often  observed  in  the  treatment 
of  multicellular  growing  tips  (e.g.,  a 
seedling),  as  done  with  Exacum  affine. 
Treating  a seedling  involves  the  problem 
of  intrasomatic  selection:  a mutated 
cell  will  have  to  compete  successfully 
with  non-mutated  cells  in  order  to 
express  itself.  Therefore,  a mutation,  if 
induced  in  the  wrong  tissue  layer,  can 
occur  and  never  be  seen,  a flower  color 
mutation  in  a nonflower  producing 
tissue  layer,  for  instance.  Data  from 
various  mutation  breeding  studies  show 
that  plants  such  as  African  violets  and 
Streptocarpus,  which  originate  from  a 
single  cell  when  vegetatively  propa- 
gated, consistently  exhibit  higher  muta- 


tion rates  than  treated  seedlings. 

One  of  the  primary  goals  of  the 
African  violet  breeding  program  at 
Penn  State  is  the  development  of  the 
canary  yellow  violet.  T raditional  breed- 
ing attempts  are  futile  in  achieving  this 
goal  since  there  exists  no  gene  in  the 
genetic  machinery  of  the  African  violet 
that  codes  for  yellow  flowers.  This 
means  that  the  gene  for  yellow  flowers 
must  literally  be  "created,"  and  that  is 
where  the  value  of  artificially  inducing 
mutations  through  radiation  will  be 
realized.  Another  goal,  though  probably 
not  as  difficult  as  the  yellow  violet,  is 
the  development  of  the  fire  engine  red 
flower. 

mutation  breeding  for  the 
home  hybridizer 

Is  it  possible  for  the  home  hybri- 
dizer to  become  involved  in  mutation 
breeding?  Yes.  All  that  is  needed  is  an 
ordinary  sunlamp,  which  is  easily  pur- 
chased at  any  department  store.  A sun- 
lamp operates  by  emitting  ultraviolet 
radiation  (UV).  This  type  of  radiation 


Is  it  possible  for  the  home  hybri- 
dizer to  become  involved  in  muta- 
tion breeding?  Yes. 


has  low  penetrating  power  and,  there- 
fore is  not  a genetic  danger  to  plants 
and  animals.  Plowever,  by  treating  only 
the  pollen  of  a flower  it  is  possible  to 
induce  mutations.  To  begin,  one  needs 
a plant  in  flower  and  a sunlamp.  Re- 
move all  the  anthers  from  a flower  and 
extract  the  pollen  onto  a sheet  of  paper. 
Since  many  variables  are  involved  in 
the  number  of  mutations  induced  we 
will  treat  several  groups  of  pollen  with 
varying  dosages  of  UV  from  the  sun- 
lamp. Divide  the  extracted  pollen  into 
about  eight  groups.  When  treating, 
simply  place  the  sunlamp  from  12  in. 


to  15  in.  away  from  the  paper  sheet  on 
which  the  pollen  rests.  Now  take  group 
one  and  treat  for  two  minutes,  group 
two  for  four  minutes,  group  three  for 
six  minutes,  group  eight  for  sixteen 
minutes,  etc.  It's  important  to  keep 
each  treated  pollen  group  separate. 
Each  group  will  be  used  to  pollinate 
individual  flowers;  therefore,  remove 
all  the  anthers  from  those  flowers  to 
be  pollinated  with  treated  pollen. 
Anthers  are  removed  to  prevent  polli- 
nation by  untreated  pollen.  Now  take 
each  group  and  pollinate  a flower  or 
flowers  by  placing  pollen  on  the  stig- 
matic  surface  with  a toothpick.  After 
pollination  tie  a small  tag  around  each 
flower  indicating  which  group  of 
treated  pollen  was  used  and  the  date 
of  pollination.  Flowers  that  fail  to 
develop  seed  pods  were  flowers  polli- 
nated with  pollen  killed  by  the  UV. 
The  highest  number  of  mutations  will 
come  from  those  seed  pods  pollinated 
with  pollen  just  exposed  under  the 
lethal  point.  After  seed  pods  have 
ripened  and  seed  is  collected  it  must 
be  sown  and  grown  to  flowering.  Very 
few  mutations  will  be  seen  in  these 
plants  as  explained  earlier  and,  therefore, 
the  plants  must  be  self-pollinated  and 
seed  collected.  This  second  generation 
of  seed  when  grown  to  maturity  should 
exhibit  a variety  of  mutations. 

Use  of  sunlamp  radiation  on  small 
seedlings  to  bring  about  genetic  changes 
has  not  been  fully  investigated  and 
offers  some  real  experimental  oppor- 
tunities for  the  home  gardener. 

Randall  P.  Nledz  is  a graduate  of  Penn  State 
University  in  horticulture  and  is  currently  pur- 
suing a Ph.D.  in  plant  breeding  and  genetics 
at  Michigan  State  University. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Cellar  door  garden:  herbs,  scented  and  fancy-leaved  geraniums 


14 


greenhouse  alternatives 

($£)  by  Barbara  Bruno 


Each  autumn  as  the  time  came  to 
move  the  house  plants  inside  for  the 
winter  I have  been  faced  with  the  same 
agonizing  decision— which  plants  will 
be  abandoned  to  the  cold  for  lack  of 
window  space?  How  could  I squeeze  all 
of  my  treasured  collection,  vigorously 
grown  larger  over  the  summer,  back 
into  the  cramped  windows  of  a house 
already  bursting  with  potted  greenery? 
I discovered  that  some  space  could  be 
saved  and  the  collection  preserved  by 
keeping  only  small,  summer-rooted 
cuttings,  but  parting  with  all  large 
plants  meant  few  winter  flowers,  a 
high  price  to  pay,  indeed. 

Another  problem  needed  solving.  I 
found  that  the  plants  I favor— tender 


herbs  such  as  sweet  marjoram  and  rose- 
mary, and  scented  and  fancy-leaved 
geraniums— did  not  keep  the  attractive, 
stocky  form  of  their  summer  growth 
despite  the  advantage  of  a house  with 
a wealth  of  windows  facing  south. 
Even  in  these  windows  with  a southern 
exposure  the  hours  of  weak,  winter 
sun  are  too  short  when  combined  with 
temperatures  in  the  60°'s  for  this 
group  of  sun-loving  house  plants. 

I have  finally  solved  the  problem 
within  the  last  three  years.  During  that 
time  I have  doubled  my  growing  space 
and  greatly  expanded  the  temperature 
range.  Plants  grow  better,  and  it  has 
been  possible  to  add  unusual  plant 
material  demanding  specialized  condi- 


tions. I have  done  it  within  the  existing 
house  and  with  a minimum  of  expense. 

greenhouse  windows 

The  first  and  most  expensive  expan- 
sion came  with  the  addition  of  two 
window  greenhouses.  Although  both 
were  to  face  south,  I aimed  at  varying 
temperatures  by  placing  one  at  the 
window  of  a cool,  upstairs  room.  The 
second  window  had  a radiator  at  its 
base,  covered  by  a pebble-filled  tray. 
Despite  their  dissimilarity,  temper- 
atures are  almost  the  same  in  sunny 
weather  with  only  a small  variation  at 
night. 

During  the  excitement  of  arranging 
plants  in  the  window  gardens  I tried  to 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


photos  by  author 


group  plants  with  compatible  colors 
and  textures  as  well  as  to  keep  cultural 
needs  in  mind.  Plants  with  salmon  and 
pink  blooms  were  confined  to  one 
window,  red  flowers  to  another.  Bur- 
gundy leaved  plants,  begonias  and 
wandering  Jew  among  them,  placed  in 
the  shade  of  larger  plants,  made  fine 
accents  for  the  salmon  toned  window, 
while  golden  leaved  plants  perk  up  the 
red  blooms.  The  silver  filagree  of  curry 
plant,  Helichrysym  angustifolium,  and 
downy,  white  leaves  of  licorice  plant, 

H.  petiolatum,  are  welcome  anywhere 
I can  tuck  them  in.  Fancifully  cut 
leaves  of  the  scented  geraniums  and 
the  rainbow  patterns  of  tricolored  ger- 
aniums add  interest  to  both  windows. 

An  unusual  plant  with  true  blue, 
winter  bloom  useful  in  either  window 
is  blue  sage,  Eranthemum  pulchellum. 
Even  a few  of  its  five-petaled,  phlox- 
like bloom  liven  the  scene  with  a sharp 
contrast,  and  can  be  counted  on  for 
three  long  winter  months.  Buddleia 
crispa  has  felted,  white  leaves  that  are 
almost  continuously  topped  with  pani- 
cles of  fuzzy  buds  opening  into  fragrant, 
lavender  pink  flowers,  a splendid, 
drooping  plant  that  blooms  when  quite 
small;  perfect  for  a shelf  edge. 

The  window  greenhouses,  while 
greatly  expanding  growing  space,  didn't 
solve  all  my  problems.  Some  plants  do 
not  react  well  to  heat  that  builds  up  in 
the  confined  space  of  the  window  gar- 
den on  spring  afternoons  while  it  is  yet 
too  cool  outside  to  open  roof  vents.  I 
also  needed  a better  way  to  carry  over 
large  plants.  Even  with  extra  care  and 
frequent  turning,  my  large,  tubbed 
myrtles,  rose  geranium  standard  and 
trained  rosemarys  looked  sadly  out  of 
shape  by  spring. 

the  light  garden 

I decided  that  the  answer  to  some 
of  my  problems  might  be  found  in 
cool,  unused  basement  space.  As  a 
beginning,  two  fluorescent  fixtures 
equipped  with  plant  lights  served  as  a 
light  source.  Soon,  I added  two  more. 
Walls  were  painted  white  for  maxi- 
mum light  reflection.  Space  under  one 
fixture  was  reserved  for  tall  growing 
plants,  and  benches  were  constructed 
under  the  others. 

Temperatures  here  are  usually  in 
the  low  50°'s— ideal  to  carry  over 
slightly  tender  plants.  A dormant  con- 


Window greenhouse  framed  by  trained 
pyracantha. 


dition  is  desirable  for  large  plants  that 
must  stand  at  some  distance  from  the 
lights  due  to  lack  of  space,  so  myrtle,  a 
venerable  bay  tree,  and  rosemary  are 
left  outside  as  long  as  possible  in  the 
fall  to  slow  growth  before  being 
brought  in  to  spend  the  winter  in  half 
light.  Sharing  these  fringes  of  the  lights 
are  resting  fuchsia,  a ring-tailed  jas- 
mine, grown  too  large  for  upstairs  cul- 
ture, and  the  overflow  of  a large  ivy 
collection.  These  plants  remain  healthy 
throughout  the  winter  and  give  the 
room  a satisfying,  green  look  even 
though  growth  is  slow  or  nonexistent. 

I knew  that  this  cool,  well-lit  area 


would  work  well  as  a storage  area  for 
half  hearty  perennials  and  shrubs,  but 
experiments  with  other  plant  material 
has  yielded  some  pleasant  surprises. 
Variegated  geraniums,  which  would  do 
no  better  than  poke  along  on  my 
windowsill,  do  exceptionally  well  here. 
The  ivy  geranium  'Sunset,'  with  pink- 
tinted,  green  and  white  leaves,  and 
'Crocodile,'  an  ivory-netted,  green- 
leaved beauty,  flower  most  abundantly. 
Tricolor  geraniums  'Skies  of  Italy'  and 
'Miss  Burdett  Coutts'  make  their  most 
colorful  growth  here. 

With  limited  space,  hanging  plants 
are  hard  to  grow  as  symmetrical  speci- 
mens under  lights,  but  weeping,  pendu- 
lous plants  make  quite  showy,  if  uneven, 
growth  at  bench  ends.  Fuchsia  hemsley- 
ana,  a miniature-leaved  plant  of  ferny 
appearance,  but  lusty  growth,  fills  its 
space  with  a lopsided  fountain  covered 
in  tiny,  pink,  drooping  bells.  One  year 
a peppermint  geranium,  rescued  at  the 
last  minute  from  the  frost,  usurped 
almost  half  a light  bank  and  what 
seemed  like  half  the  room,  growing 
well  in  much  dimmer  light  than  I would 
have  thought  possible.  I've  taken  a clue 

continued 


15 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


greenhouse  alternatives  continued 


from  this  behavior,  starting  with  a 
smaller  plant  that  grows  satisfactorily 
at  a shadowy  bench  end.  'Snowflake,' 
another  fuzzy,  scented  geranium  of  lax 
growth  with  a pretty  hit  or  miss  leaf 
variegation,  seems  to  tolerate  even  less 
light  if  combined  with  cool  growing 
conditions. 

I’ve  grown  elfin  herb,  Cuphea  hys- 
sopifolia,  for  years,  but  this  tiny  leaved 
shrub  continuously  covered  in  small, 
magenta  flowers  has  been  a delightful 
surprise  under  lights,  with  healthier, 
more  vigorous  growth  and  even  more 
blooms,  if  that's  possible. 

cellar  door  garden 

For  some  time  I had  been  wonder- 
ing about  the  feasibility  of  turning  the 
outside  cellar  entrance  into  a mini- 
greenhouse. Eventually  a simple,  inex- 
pensive plan  was  devised.  Under  the 
inside  edge  of  the  2 x 4's  framing  the 
entrance  way  a railing  was  attached  to 
support  a piece  of  plexiglass  mounted 
with  screws  onto  a wooden  frame  that 
fits  snugly  into  the  opening,  flush  with 
the  top  edge  of  the  framing.  The  plexi- 
glass window  is  not  hinged  and  can  be 
lifted  out  to  allow  access  to  the  cellar. 
During  winter,  tape  seals  the  small 
crack  between  edging  and  frame.  In  a 
more  professional  construction  this 
might  not  be  necessary.  The  original 
slanting  door  had  been  retained.  It  can 
be  closed  during  the  summer  when  the 
mini-greenhouse  is  not  in  use.  The 
door  also  acts  as  valuable  insulation 
during  frigid,  winter  nights. 

The  cellar  door  garden  could  be 
classified  somewhere  between  a cold 
frame  and  a pit  or  alpine  house.  Light 
is  more  limited  than  in  a free-standing 
house;  the  temperature  is  higher  than 
in  a cold  frame.  For  most  of  the  season 
night  and  day  temperature  varies  only 
a moderate  10°  with  day  readings  in 
the  mid-50°'s.  While  spring  sun  over- 
heats the  window  greenhouses  alarm- 
ingly, the  cool  basement  air  keeps 
temperatures  in  the  cellar  door  garden 
at  healthy  levels.  During  stretches  of 
extreme  cold  the  thermometer  may 
drop  to  the  low  40°'s. 

The  growing  space  is  limited,  con- 
sisting of  three  steps.  Although  small, 
this  space  has  proven  to  be  extremely 


useful.  The  bottom  step  is  perfect  for 
tall  standards.  There  is  head  space  for 
a hanging  plant  or  two.  Since  the  cellar 
entrance  faces  south  the  slanting,  win- 
ter sun  reaches  far  into  the  room  pro- 
viding light  for  extra  plants  arranged 
on  the  floor  beyond  the  door. 

In  January  and  February  with  limit- 
ed light  and  temperatures  at  their  low- 
est ebb  there  is  little  bloom  among  my 
usually  free  blooming  geraniums.  I 
depend,  rather,  on  my  growing  collec- 
tion of  winter  blooming,  cool  condition 
plants.  Primroses  seem  not  to  mind  the 
cold.  I plan  each  year  to  grow  at  least 
one  kind  new  to  me.  This  year  it  is 
Primula  malacoides,  the  fairy  primrose, 
a floriferous  annual  in  shades  of  pink 
and  white.  The  promise  of  fragrance 
makes  me  even  more  impatient  for  the 
tiers  of  white,  farinose  buds  to  open. 
Boronia  megastigma , a delicate,  feath- 
ery shrub  from  Australia,  is  forming 
buds  for  the  first  time  this  year.  The 
flowers  of  this  temperamental  plant  are 
hardly  showy,  but  even  a few  of  the 
extremely  fragrant,  chocolate  and  gold 
blooms  will  scent  the  entire  room. 


The  cellar  door  garden  could  be 
classified  somewhere  between  a 
cold  frame  and  a pit  or  alpine 
house. 


My  success  with  a pink  flowered, 
South  African  heather  has  encouraged 
me  to  search  for  others.  Erica  canalicu- 
iata,  known  as  Christmas  heather, 
covers  itself  in  bright  pink  blooms  last- 
ing over  six  weeks.  Conradina  canescens, 
a small,  twiggy  shrub  with  tiny,  needle- 
like, gray  leaves,  is  a top-notch  candi- 
date for  topiary.  This  southern  native 
of  sandy,  coastal  pinelands  with  herb- 
scented  foliage  is  nearly  hardy,  but 
makes  a lovely  potted  plant  covering 
itself  with  pale  pink  bloom  in  late  win- 
ter. Daphne  odora  is  another  small, 
siow-growing  shrub  that  makes  a fine, 
cool  temperature  specimen.  A small 
plant  raised  from  a spring  cutting  has 
hardly  a dozen  leaves  but  three  large 
bud  clusters  are  soon  to  open  into 
long-lasting,  fragrant  flowers. 


Honeybells,  Hermannia  verticillata, 
was  a favorite  of  Victorian  conservatory 
gardeners  and  is  now  one  of  mine.  Its 
scented,  yellow  bells  are  strung  on 
gracefully  drooping  stems  among  tiny, 
widely-spaced  leaves.  It  blooms  when 
quite  small— with  limited  space  that  is 
a definite  plus.  Another  small  basket 
plant  that  I admire  is  the  variegated 
form  of  a common  weed,  gill-over-the- 
ground,  Glechoma  hederacea,  a small, 
scented-leaved  plant  with  long,  lithe 
runners.  Hermannia  and  Glechoma 
prosper  under  cool  conditions. 

Among  plants  held  over  for  the 
interest  they  add  to  the  summer  gar- 
den are  several  tender  salvias.  Most  are 
plants  of  lusty  growth  that  barely  sur- 
vive the  winter  on  hot,  crowded  win- 
dowsills, but  grown  in  cooler  condi- 
tions they  are  ornamental  additions  to 
the  indoor  garden,  remaining  healthy 
and  supplying  ample  material  for  spring 
cuttings.  A large  plant  of  Salvia  leu- 
cantha,  growing  a bit  leggy  in  less  than 
ideal  conditions  at  the  fringes  of  the 
plant  lights  still  produces  a few  spikes 
of  velvety,  lavender  flowers. 

The  cellar  door  garden  has  many 
uses.  It  proves  to  be  an  ideal  place  to 
force  bulbs,  and  in  spring  it  is  perfect 
for  acclimatizing  tomatoes  to  cooler 
conditions  before  moving  them  on  to 
the  cold  frames. 

The  most  satisfying  aspect  of  hav- 
ing several  "climates"  in  which  to 
arrange  plants  is  being  able  to  observe 
how  they  respond  to  differences  in 
environment.  A plant  that  seems  to  be 
doing  well  enough  in  its  present  spot 
may  surprise  you  with  a spectacular 
burst  of  vibrantly  healthy  growth 
when  moved  to  another  setting.  This 
response  not  only  increases  gardening 
enjoyment  but  greatly  expands  one's 
knowledge  of  plant  behavior.  So  if  you 
have  been  frustrated  by  limited  grow- 
ing space,  lack  a variety  of  environ- 
ments, and  can't  afford  a greenhouse,  I 
suggest  you  start  investigating  your 
possible  greenhouse  alternatives. 

• 

Barbara  Bruno  has  gardened  extensively;  her 
special  interests  are  herb  plants  (indoor  and 
outdoor),  vegetable  gardens,  perennial  bor- 
ders as  well  as  growing  flowers  for  drying.  At 
present  she  is  working  on  a book  dealing 
with  her  gardening  experiences  with  herbs. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Plants  in  hanging  baskets  continue  to  grow  all  winter  under  fluorescent  lights  and  must  be 
pruned  regularly  to  keep  their  shape. 


A 

SUNPORCH 

JUNGLE 

(^)  by  George  M.  Harding 

Several  years  ago  a friend  of  mine 
jokingly  told  me  that  he  was  afraid  to 
go  into  my  sunporch  because  he  might 
be  shot  at  by  a sniper  hiding  in  the 
"jungle."  He  exaggerates  grossly,  of 
course,  but,  even  so,  that  description 
still  pops  up  on  occasion,  particularly 
from  newcomers  seeing  the  room  for 
the  first  time.  Certainly  I never  planned 
a "jungle."  In  fact,  it  never  was  really 
planned;  it  just  evolved. 

When  I took  over  the  house  after 
my  father  died  nearly  20  years  ago  I 
had  practically  no  knowledge  of  house 
plants  and  a small,  ersatz  group  of 
them  to  practice  on.  There  was  a Dief- 
fenbachia  amoena,  a Ficus  elastica,  a 
Monstera  pertusa  that  had  been  given 
to  my  father,  a Schefflera  actinophylla, 
a Philodendron  selloum  and  a P.  wend- 
imbe  (these  last  three  left  over  from  an 
orchid  exhibit  at  the  Flower  Show  that 
I had  helped  with)  and  a handful  of 
others.  I was  traveling  a lot  on  business 
at  the  time  and  the  chief  requirement 
that  I had  for  any  plant  was  an  ability 
to  survive  on  benign  neglect.  They 
were  watered  once  a week,  on  Sunday 
mornings.  If  they  couldn't  survive  on 
that,  tant  pis.  Unfortunately  two  or 
three  of  them  did  not. 

As  I attained  a modicum  of  senior- 
ity in  my  job  and  gradually  did  not 
have  to  travel  as  much  or  work  as  many 
evenings  and  Saturdays,  I began  to 
think  about  what  I wanted  to  do  with 
the  sunporch.  My  childhood  memories 
were  that  it  was  always  cold  in  winter 
certainly  too  cold  for  my  comfort.  My 
first  improvement  was  to  add  more 
insulation  and  storm  windows.  Then  I 
decided  that  light  was  a problem.  Being 
nothing  more  than  the  enclosed  side 


porch  of  an  old  farmhouse,  the  room 
is  long  and  narrow— 28  ft.  x 9 ft.  It 
spans  most  of  the  east  side  of  the  house. 
In  winter  sunlight  floods  in,  particu- 
larly in  the  southern  half,  until  2 or 
2:30  in  the  afternoon.  But  in  sum- 
mer, with  two  maples  arching  over- 
head, everything  but  bits  and  pieces  of 
sunlight  is  blocked  out. 

The  next  step  was  to  put  in  a sky- 
light close  to  the  south  end  of  the 
room.  My  reasoning  was  that  in  winter 
it  would  increase  the  amount  of  sun- 
light still  further  and  in  summer  even 
heavily-filtered  overhead  light  would 
be  better  than  the  semi-gloom  that  I 
had.  I put  in  the  skylight  myself,  basing 
its  size  on  the  size  of  some  double-thick 
glass  that  was  readily  available.  Most 
of  what  I know  now  about  flashing 
and  waterproofing  (and  I know  quite  a 
lot)  I learned  on  that  skylight.  But 
even  with  the  early  leaks  it  was  still  a 
big  improvement.  No  more  turning 
plants  in  that  area  to  keep  them  from 
being  lopsided  and,  even  better,  a 


marked  reduction  of  dropped  leaves 
from  insufficient  sunlight, 
fluorescent  lights 

The  real  solution,  however,  came 
about  two  years  later.  At  that  time 
the  only  location  of  The  Plantarium, 
the  plant  store  that  now  has  its  head- 
quarters in  a sumptuously  big  rooftop 
greenhouse  at  24th  and  South  Streets, 
was  the  parlor  floor  of  a brownstone 
at  1706  Locust  Street.  I wandered  in 
there  one  day  at  lunchtime  to  admire 
the  plants,  but  almost  immediately 
became  more  interested  in  the  ceiling- 
ful of  fluorescent  lights  that  provided 
the  only  light  source  (except  for  a 
separate  small  solarium  at  the  very 
back  of  the  building).  I realized  that, 
since  this  was  a store,  many  of  the 
plants  did  not  remain  under  those  light 
conditions  for  very  long,  but  some 
must,  and  collectively  they  seemed 
impressive,  ft  struck  me  that  if  fluores- 
cent lights  would  work  in  that  area 
with  a 10-foot  ceiling  or  more,  they 
ought  to  work  even  better  on  the  814- 

continued 


17 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


A SUNPORCH  )UNGLE  continued 


foot  ceiling  of  my  sunporch.  Bob  Scott, 
owner  of  The  Plantarium,  advised  me 
that  the  longer  the  fluorescent  tube, 
the  more  efficient  it  was  in  its  con- 
sumption of  electricity.  I bought  six  8- 
foot  double  fixtures,  the  longest  made, 
and  installed  them  in  pairs  down  the 
length  of  the  ceiling  of  the  sunporch, 
evenly  spaced  between  the  windows 
and  the  inside  wall.  To  take  care  of  a 
darkish  area  between  the  skylight  and 
the  south  windows  I later  added  a 4- 
foot  fixture  at  right  angles  to  the  long 
lights.  I also  installed  a timer  so  that 
the  lights  would  be  on  14  hours  a day, 
summer  and  winter,  whether  I was  at 
home  or  not. 

The  first  set  of  tubes  were  Vitalites, 
but  when  they  were  used  up  after  sev- 
eral years,  they  were  replaced  with 
regular  white  light  tubes,  as  much 
because  I got  a good  buy  on  them  as 
for  any  other  reason.  Because  of  the 
mix  of  ample  natural  light  along  with 
the  artificial  light,  particularly  from 
October  to  April,  I have  noticed  no 
difference  in  the  reaction  of  the  plants 
between  the  two. 

Now  I finally  had  the  kind  of  plant 
room  that  I had  wanted.  It  was  not  a 
full-fledged  conservatory,  but  it  was 
the  next  best  thing.  Plants  at  the  north 
end  of  the  room  did  almost  as  well  as 
those  directly  under  the  skylight  at  the 
south  end.  As  an  added  plus  I could 
now  have  hanging  pots  as  well  that 
would  not  "boom"  outside  in  summer 
and  "bust"  inside  in  winter.  But  I also 
discovered  something  else— that  I soon 
became  a plant-adopter.  With  plenty 
of  space  and  good  growing  conditions 
I began  to  fall  heir  to  plants  that  had 
grown  too  large  for  friends'  houses  or 
that  had  to  be  disposed  of  for  other 
reasons.  In  a short  space  of  time  a 
second  schefflera  came, i then  a tall 
Dracena  massangeana,  then  two  4-foot 
citrus  trees  that  had  not  bloomed  and 
still  haven't.  There  were  smaller  plants 
that  came  too,  including  some  African 
violets,  about  which  I have  never  been 
very  enthusiastic,  but  which  have 
bloomed  happily  on  the  narrow  east 
windowsill  above  a radiator  ever  since 
they  arrived. 

Nobody  would  call  the  group  of 
plants  that  I have  now  a horticultural 
treasure  chest.  It's  more  of  a grab-bag. 
Most  of  them  are  run-of-the-mill,  read- 
ily found  in  any  of  the  plant  stores 
that  have  proliferated  in  recent  years. 


On  top  of  that  I have  too  many  dupli- 
cates. After  all,  who  needs  three 
scheffleras,  no  matter  how  much  he 
may  admire  the  configuration  of  the 
leaves?  (The  third  is  the  result  of  air- 
layering one  of  the  trunks  of  the  first 
clump  that  was  beginning  to  grow 
against  the  ceiling.)  Fortunately  space 
militates  against  me  now  and,  as  I 
divide  and  take  cuttings,  I simply  don't 
have  room  to  keep  them.  Friends  and 
relatives  get  some  of  the  excess  and 
providentially  our  local  Episcopal 
church  has  its  annual  fund-raising  fair 


After  all,  who  needs  three  schef- 
fleras, no  matter  how  much  he 
may  admire  the  configuration  of 
the  leaves? 


the  last  week  in  September,  just  after  I 
have  run  out  of  hooks  in  the  ceiling 
and  windowsills.  The  plant  and  garden 
booth  at  the  fair  gets  everything  that  is 
left. 

new  plants 

Each  year  now  I try  to  start  one  or 
two  new  or  different  plants  either 
from  seed  or  cuttings  and,  as  these 
mature,  they  will  displace  many  or  all 
of  the  duplicates  and  maybe  even  some 
of  the  less  special  one-of-a-kinds.  A 
hanging  basket  of  Columnea  micro- 
phylla,  started  from  cuttings  I was 
given  three  years  ago,  has  a regular  spot 
reserved  for  it  in  the  south  windows  all 
winter  and  then  in  early  March,  when 
it  begins  to  bloom,  it  is  moved  to  a 
"show"  location  where  the  cardinal 
shower  of  flowers  can  be  enjoyed  for 
the  next  two  months.  The  first  year  it 
bloomed  I moved  it  back  and  forth 
between  the  south  window  and  the 
"show"  location,  thinking  it  needed 
the  direct  sunlight  to  continue  to 
bloom.  But  last  year  it  stayed  in  the 
"show"  spot,  away  from  direct  sun, 
and  did  just  as  well.  It  also  spent  last 
summer  inside  under  the  lights  and 
looks  just  as  healthy  for  the  experience. 

In  late  September  a year  ago  a friend 
gave  me  a honeysuckle  fuchsia  (F.  tri- 
phylla)  that  she  had  no  space  for.  Most 
of  the  woody  stems  were  ready  to  be 
cut  back  for  the  winter,  but  one  late- 
sprouting  branch  was  still  thriving  and 


about  to  come  into  bloom.  Since  I had 
a spare  hook  in  an  out-of-the-way  spot 
I was  curious  to  see  how  that  branch 
would  react  to  fluorescent  light.  The 
result  was  a lopsided,  single-stem  fuch- 
sia that  bloomed  all  winter.  Encouraged 
by  that  I took  cuttings  from  the  plant 
in  the  spring  when  new  growth  started, 
deliberately  kept  them  in  the  shade 
most  of  the  summer  so  that  their 
blooms  were  only  just  forming  in  late 
August  and  now  I have  a modest-sized, 
but  graceful,  fuchsia  that  bloomed 
without  letup  all  this  past  winter.  The 
red  was  not  as  intense  as  it  is  outside 
in  the  sun,  but  who's  to  quibble? 

Most  flowering  plants  do  not  get 
enough  light  on  the  floor  to  perform 
well,  which  certainly  is  not  surprising. 
The  one  exception  I have  found  so  far 
has  been  impatiens.  During  the  fall  and 
early  winter  it  may  be  niggardly  with 
its  bloom,  but,  come  January,  it  gets 
more  and  more  prolific.  (A  hanging 
basket  of  impatiens,  hung  perhaps  a 
foot  below  the  lights,  does  spectacu- 
larly.) For  a party  or  some  special 
occasion  when  I want  spots  of  color 
against  the  green,  there  are  always  two 
or  three  Begonia  semperflorens,  an 
Oxalis  regnellii  or  a couple  of  Cycla- 
men persic urn  giganteum  blooming  in 
south  windows  upstairs  that  can  be 
moved  down  for  a day  or  two.  Last 
year  I tried  Primula  obconica  for  the 
first  time,  starting  the  seed  outside  and 
then  keeping  the  plants  in  a south  win- 
dow in  a cool  guest  bedroom  until 
they  began  to  bloom  in  late  February. 
Granted  the  results  were  not  what 
they  might  have  been  if  I had  a green- 
house, but  a dozen  and  a half  of  the 
primula  grouped  together  at  Easter, 
along  with  daffodils,  hyacinths  and 
tulips  that  had  been  forced  in  odds 
and  ends  of  spots  (including  the  attic) 
looked  splendid.  This  year  the  P.  ob- 
conica were  joined  by  P.  sinensis  fim- 
briata  and  they  provided  color  even 
earlier,  coming  into  bloom  in  January. 

There  are  also  Transvaal  daisies 
(Gerbera  jamesonii)  started  from  seed 
last  spring,  growing  under  lights  in  the 
cellar  not  far  from  the  furnace.  I don't 
know  whether  they  will  make  it  into 
bloom  in  time  to  join  the  primula  or 
not.  It  may  take  a year  or  more  of  trial 
and  error  before  I learn  what  their 
schedule  is,  but  to  me  that  is  just  part 
of  the  fascination  of  this  random 
sampling  of  different  plants. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


The  author  picks  faded  blossoms  from  Zygocactus  truncatus  which,  he  says,  has  been  around 
the  house  "forever."  The  plant  spends  the  fall  bud-forming  period  in  a south  windowsill  in  a 
room  that  is  usually  dark  at  night. 


outside 

A majority  of  the  plants  are  moved 
outside  in  summer,  although  some  of 
the  big  ones  are  getting  harder  to  man- 
euver each  year.  Three  of  them,  two 
Philodendron  selloum  and  the  P.  wend- 
imbe  already  have  too  wide  a "wing- 
span" to  get  through  the  door  and 
they  have  to  stay  in.  And  I have  found 
that  a dozen  or  more  of  the  hanging 
pots  are  better  off  inside  year-round— 
the  columnea,  maidenhair  ferns,  two 
tripogandras  and  a Pel Hon ia  pulchra 
among  them. 

When  September  comes  it  is  like 
putting  together  a giant  jigsaw  puzzle 
to  get  everything  fitted  back  together 


again  inside.  The  biggest  pots  come  in 
first  to  their  appointed  locations,  then 
the  medium-sized  ones  and  so  on.  The 
hanging  plants  that  have  been  outside 
are  last  and  then  comes  the  jockeying 
around  of  pots  from  hook  to  hook  to 
make  sure  that  nothing  is  too  close  to 
its  neighbor  or  is  blocking  off  too 
much  light.  It's  at  this  point  that  deci- 
sions start  being  made  on  candidates 
for  the  church  fair. 

I know  that  even  today  I probably 
do  not  devote  as  much  attention  to 
the  plants  as  they  ideally  should  get. 
With  watering,  feeding,  cutting  off 
dead  leaves  and  blooms,  spraying  when 
absolutely  necessary  and  what  not,  it 


takes  an  average  three  hours  a week  in 
winter— about  all  the  time  I can  afford 
right  now.  I prefer  a cool  house 
(although  some  friends  call  it  down- 
right cold)  and  on  most  days  in  mid- 
winter the  temperature  in  the  sunporch 
rarely  is  higher  than  62-63°.  At  night 
it  falls  to  54°,  sometimes  even  lower. 
This  range  seems  acceptable  to  nearly 
all  the  plants.  One  exception  is  a hang- 
ing pot  of  Maranta  leuconeura  erytho- 
neura  which  would  probably  like 
temperatures  10°  or  more  higher.  It  is 
not  at  its  best  in  winter,  but  does  mar- 
velously under  the  lights  the  rest  of 
the  year.  On  the  other  side  of  the  coin 
a wonderful  big  potful  of  Dieffenbachia 
amoena  seems  to  like  its  environment 
and  shows  its  gratitude  by  putting  out 
blooms  at  least  half  the  year.  They  are 
not  much  to  look  at— long  green  pro- 
tuberances that  are  awkward-looking 
even  when  they're  open— but  they  are 
reassuring  to  see.  The  Philodendron 
wend-imbe,  even  though  it  stays  inside 
all  year  and  is  far  below  the  lights,  also 
blooms  regularly.  Again  its  blooms  are 
not  much  to  look  at— rather  like  elon- 
gated skunk  cabbage  blooms— but  they 
are  interesting  oddities  to  show  visitors. 

Individually  many  of  my  plants, 
perhaps  even  most,  are  not  the  speci- 
mens they  might  be,  but,  grouped 
together  and  given  the  limitations 
under  which  they  grow,  the  overall 
effect  is  lush.  I have  to  admit  that  on  a 
winter  morning,  particularly  a Sunday 
morning,  when  I can  see  a bleak  sky 
and  snow  and  ice  through  every  win- 
dow, it  is  nice  to  sit  there  at  the  garden 
table,  surrounded  by  growing  plants, 
having  breakfast  and  reading  the  papers. 
It  makes  whatever  time  and  effort  that 
may  be  involved  seem  more  than 
worthwhile. 

• 

George  Harding  dislikes  winter  intensely. 
Having  a lot  of  plants  around  helps  him  to 
make  it  through  to  spring. 


19 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Unffx.  a.  A<rt'u>et 


4 


As  reported  in  the  PHS  News,  we 
had  an  inordinate  number  of  wet  days 
in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1979. 
Measurable  rain  fell  on  53  days  between 
May  1 and  August  31 . By  contrast,  I 
remember  one  year  in  the  last  25  when 
it  rained  not  a drop  in  those  four 
months.  Which  is  better?  All  the  frus- 
trations and  disasters  of  excessive 
moisture  notwithstanding.  I'll  take  too 
much  rather  than  too  little. 

Not  only  was  it  wet,  it  was  hot.  In 
July  and  August,  there  were  14  days 
when  the  temperature  went  over  90° 
and  32  nights  when  it  didn't  go  below 
70°.  I sowed  lettuce  seed  three  times 
in  midsummer  and  had  no  results.  Later, 
I learned  from  Lois  Burpee  that  lettuce 
doesn't  germinate  if  the  nights  are  that 
warm.  Occasional  exceptions  are  Salad 
Bowl  and  Oak  Leaf. 

In  addition  to  the  extraordinary 
heat  and  humidity,  we  had  two  record- 
breaking  cold  spells.  One,  over  the  4th 
of  July  weekend,  when  the  official 
night  temperature  dipped  to  54°  (July 
6)  and  again  during  the  week  of  August 
12,  when  it  went  to  50°.  The  plants  in 
my  garden  that  were  most  affected 
were  the  tomatoes.  The  tomato  is  of 
tropical  origin  and  requires  warm 
weather  and  plenty  of  sunshine  for 
good  results.  Tomato  literature  says 
that  50  hours  of  55°  or  higher  temper- 
atures are  required  for  fruit  set.  Those 
two  cold  spells  caused  most  of  the 
flowers  on  my  plants  to  shrivel  and  fall. 
But  the  cold  was  not  the  only  inhibit- 
ing factor  this  summer.  Tomatoes  are 
also  set  back  by  extreme  heat.  They 
tend  to  lose  their  blossoms  if  the  day 
temperatures  rise  much  above  90°  or 
the  night  temperatures  don't  fall  below 


75°  ( Green  Scene,  Vo  1 . 3,  No.  5).  Both 
these  limits  were  exceeded  this  sum- 
mer, setting  the  plants  back  still  more. 
My  first  fruits  were  not  harvested  until 
August  5.  The  varieties  that  did  best  for 
me  were,  as  always,  Burpee's  Big  Girl 
Hybrid  VF  and  Burpee's  VF  Hybrid. 
Pixie  did  pretty  well  in  a two-gallon 
black  plastic  pot. 

The  second  cold  spell  was  so  alarm- 
ing that  I carried  in  three  of  my  favor- 
ite tropical  plants  for  four  nights  run- 
ning. They  were  a miniature  caladium 
(see  Green  Scene,  Vol.  5,  No.  1 ),  a stag- 
horn fern  (Platycerium  grande)  with 
large  shields  and  fronds,  and  a hanging 
pot  of  diminutive  Columnea  arguta.  I 
was  sure  that  sudden  cold  nights  after 
three  weeks  of  stifling  heat  would  cause 
them  all  to  respond  as  though  it  were 
early  October,  by  dropping  their  leaves 
in  preparation  for  winter  dormancy. 

Here  are  some  other  particularly 
vexing  problems  I encountered: 

Slugs.  I saw  one  that  was  nearly 
three  inches  long.  The  constant  mois- 
ture on  the  ground,  the  pots  and  the 
leaves  made  it  a gala  summer  for  these 
slimy  creatures  which,  as  far  as  I know, 
do  nothing  helpful.  I pour  Slugit  liquid 
on  the  ground  around  petunias,  begon- 
ias and  other  soft  herbaceous  plants.  I 
put  it  (diluted,  2 tbs.  per  gallon  of 
water)  right  in  the  pots  of  container- 
grown  plants.  Since  it's  a poisonous 
chemical  (20%  metaldehyde) , I don't 
use  it  near  vegetables.  Jerome  Eaton 
and  Carroll  Calkins  in  their  book  How 
to  Garden  (Macmillan,  N.Y.,  1973)  sug- 
gest slug  bait  (solid  or  liquid)  in  an 
empty  coffee  can  laid  on  its  side.  This 
seems  a good  idea  because,  at  least,  the 
rain  won't  wash  it  away. 

Imported  cabbage  worm.  I don't 
have  full  sun  or  much  space,  so  I sel- 
dom bother  with  cabbage,  but  this  year 
I couldn't  resist  trying  Morden's  Dwarf 
Midget.  It  grew  well  in  an  18-in.  cedar 
tub  and  has  six  miniature  heads  ready 


to  go  to  the  Harvest  Show  (tub  and  all) . 
The  challenge  comes  from  the  imported 
cabbage  worm,  an  elusive  pest,  which 
I've  yet  to  lay  eyes  on  in  the  worm 
stage.  It  makes  its  presence  known  by 
chewing  holes  in  mature  leaves  of  cab- 
bage, broccoli,  and  Brussels  sprouts. 
Ortho  T oma to- Vegetable  Dust  provides 
pretty  good  control.  This  is  a good  all 
around  pesticide  for  vegetables.  It  con- 
tains captan  (a  fungicide  that  is  sup- 
posed to  be  effective  against  some 
fusarium  diseases)  and  methoxychlor 
and  rotenone  (effective  against  most 
insects  in  their  young,  soft  stages).  In 
normally  dry  weather  it  should  be 
applied  at  about  10-day  intervals,  the 
last  application  at  least  three  days 
before  harvesting. 

White  fly.  This  is  the  most  persistent 
pest  in  my  garden,  infesting  a wide  var- 
iety of  plants,  particularly  azaleas  and 
tomatoes.  You  can't  have  white  fly 
without  knowing  it.  The  tiny  creatures 
rise  in  clouds  when  anything  disturbs 
their  dwelling  place,  and  they  can  also 
be  detected  by  the  black  sooty  coating 
that  appears  on  the  leaves  of  infested 
plants.  This  is  actually  a fungus.  It 
grows  in  the  flies'  excretions,  which  is 
called  honeydew.  White  fly  can  be 
controlled  by  SBP  resmethrin,  a syn- 
thetic pyrethroid  also  known  as  SBP 
1382,  if  you  follow  the  directions 
meticulously.  Spray  once  a week  for 
four  weeks  in  the  evening  when  the 
temperature  is  between  50°  and  72°. 
However,  this  product  is  not  labelled 
for  vegetables.  On  them  I use  Pratt's 
Red  Arrow,  which  contains  natural 
pyrethrins.  It  can  be  applied  up  to  24 
hours  before  harvest.  Red  Arrow  has 
little  or  no  residual  action.  You  must 
spray  every  three  days  in  hot  weather 
for  up  to  four  weeks.  As  an  alternative, 
if  you're  growing  vegetables  in  con- 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


photo  by  Edmund  B.  Gilchrist,  Jr. 


(^)  by  Ernesta  D.  Ballard 


Columnea  arguta 


tainers,  try  the  vacuum  cleaner.  It  is 
quite  effective. 

Mildew.  These  fungi  appear  mostly 
on  deciduous  azaleas,  phlox,  and 
begonias,  and  I spray  against  them 
relentlessly.  Benomyl  50W  will  usually 
prevent  mildew  and  will  even  cure  it  if 
it's  just  starting,  but  leaves  damaged 
over  more  than  10%  of  their  surface 
never  recover.  I also  use  captan  5%  WP 
and  Phaltan  (folpet),  usually  a different 
one  each  week.  This  year  I had  it  pretty 
well  under  control  until  the  August 
cold  snap.  When  the  temperature  re- 
turned to  summer  normal,  mildew  was 
everywhere. 

During  the  summer,  the  Society's 
Hotline,  WA  2-8043,  was  besieged 
with  distress  calls  about  fungus  diseases 
on  fruittrees  and  other  deciduous  trees 
and  shrubs.  In  most  cases  the  Hotline 
operators  suggested  spraying  with  cap- 
tan  5%  WP,  and  they  always  recom- 
mend collecting  the  infected  leaves 
and  putting  them  in  the  trash,  not  the 
compost. 

The  only  fungus  disease  that  hit  our 
garden  was  Elm  Black  Spot,  which 
destroyed  the  new  growth  of  our  Catlin 
elm  bonsai.  Ann  Rhodes,  the  patholo- 
gist at  the  Morris  Arboretum,  diagnosed 
it  and  suggested  spraying  with  ferbam. 
It  did  the  trick. 

There  were  some  redeeming  features 
to  this  wet,  hot  summer.  Our  lawn 
didn't  turn  brown;  our  moss  garden 
was  lush;  most  evergreens  did  well,  and 
potted  tropicals  such  as  various  Ficus 
species,  Cycad  revoluta,  Dickson ia  tree 
fern,  and  Medinilla  magnifica  gave  us 
an  idea  of  how  they  might  grow  if  we 
lived  in  a rain  forest,  their  native  habitat. 

• 

Ernesta  D.  Ballard  is  president  of  PHS. 


21 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


The  flowers  were  first  painted  on  the  coast- 
ers and  then  detailed  botanical  drawings 
made  on  top  of  the  flowers  with  an  indelible 
pen. 


Denim  pillows:  fanciful  floral  shaped  leather 
applique  and  machine  stitching.  Made  by 
Jane  Lennon. 


!!■ 


<N 


22 


(^)  by  Joanna  McQ.  Reed 

Positive  Thoughts  While  Weeding 


In  the  dog  days  of  August  when  crab 
grass,  sorrel,  smartweed,  amaranth  and 
purslane  are  unconditionally  winning 
the  ever  raging  battle  between  weed 
and  weeder,  even  the  most  ardent  gar- 
dener's ardor  is  apt  to  wane. 

Dreams  of  rearranging  favorite  speci- 
mens to  upgrade  flower  borders,  add- 
ing bulbs  with  a more  lavish  hand  than 
would  ever  be  economically  or  even 
physically  feasible,  or  merely  trans- 
forming a hopeless  quagmire  into  a 
glorious  bog  garden,  are  little  comfort 
when  struggling  to  stem  the  green  tide 
with  the  sun  and  humidity  beating  down 

To  counteract  this  annual  dilemma 
I often  plan  projects  for  Christmas  giv- 
ing; it  puts  the  focus  on  a cooler  time. 
The  plants  and  insects  surrounding  me 
become  inspirations.  Since  a minimum 
of  thought  is  necessary  for  the  job  of 
weeding,  it's  a good  time  to  plan 
simple  or  elaborate  gifts  using  nature's 
inspiration. 

Most  of  us,  by  now,  have  collected 
dried  materials  to  convert  into  wreaths, 


swags,  plaques,  Christmas  tree  orna- 
ments and  even  miniscule  trees.  Happily 
this  work  can  be  done  well  in  advance 
of  the  holiday  season.  Check  plant 
material  now  to  be  used  later  in  pun- 
gently  fresh  wreaths.  Judicious  pruning 
during  the  early  summer  months  will 
have  paid  dividends  when  the  greens 
are  cut  for  use  in  December.  While  you 
are  cutting,  look  for  good  places  for 
next  spring  to  add  plants  with  striking 
texture  or  variegated  foliage  for  future 
gift  making. 

two  wreaths  — ivy  and  scented 

Two  easily  made  living  wreaths  are 
constructed  as  follows: 

1.  Set  miniature  leaved  ivy  plants 
with  longish  trailers  into  a box  wreath 
frame  stuffed  with  wet  sphagnum  moss. 
Use  at  least  eight  or  ten  plants;  arrange 
the  trailers  to  cover  as  much  of  the 
moss  surface  as  possible.  Spiral  thin 
wire  about  frame,  moss  and  ivy  to  hold 
all  in  place.  Pinch  out  all  tip  ends  to 
encourage  fullness.  Keep  pinching,  pin- 
ning down  ends,  fertilizing  and  watering 


regularly  until  Christmas.  Sturdy  plants 
are  essential.  If  rooting  your  own  cut- 
tings start  early  in  summer  for  success. 

2.  Again  pack  a box  wreath  frame, 
this  time  with  oasis  (a  great  use  for  the 
leftover  bits  and  pieces  we  all  have), 
soak  thoroughly.  Insert  snippets  of 
various  greens  and  greys  such  as  santo- 
lina,  teucrium,  lavender,  dwarf  sage, 
rosemary,  sweet  myrtle  or  English  box. 
They  will  make  a pleasingly  fragrant 
wreath,  best  used  flat  as  a table  decor- 
ation. Made  only  a day  or  two  before 
given,  it  will  hold  throughout  the  holi- 
day season  if  kept  consistently  moist. 
Some  of  the  snippets  might  even  root, 
a nice  bonus.  In  the  future,  when  plan- 
ning such  a wreath  cut  back  all  plants 
that  you  intend  to  use  by  mid-August 
to  promote  full  branch  tips  for  the 
winter  harvest.  Harden  the  snippets  in 
water  for  a day  or  two  before  using 
them  in  the  wreath  as  you  would  any 
cut  flower. 

seed  and  plant  catalogs 

A yield  of  countless  gifts  can  be 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Dandelion:  sheet  plastic 
instead  of  a brass  plate 
was  used  for  this  etching 
done  by  Gar  Reed. 


Cork  coasters:  The  flowers 
were  first  painted  on  the 
coasters  and  then  detailed 
botanical  drawings  made 
on  top  of  the  flowers  with 
an  indelible  pen.  Made 
by  Franziska  Hecht. 


Balsam  pillows:  Draw  embroidery  design  on 
paper;  transfer  to  cloth  using  a sheet  of 
dressmaker  carbon  paper.  Go  over  design 
with  an  indelible  pen  as  the  carbon  image 
will  smudge  before  embroidery  is  complete. 
Cut  cardboard  or  paper  templates  (shapes) 
for  geometric  trees  on  appliqued  pillow.  Draw 
around  each  one  with  a pencil  on  each  cloth 
—the  one  for  the  pillow  and  the  one  for  the 
trees.  Cut  'A  in.  outside  of  the  line  for  the 
hem  to  be  turned  under  when  sewing  pieces 
in  place  on  marked  pillow,  overlap  each  as 
necessary  according  to  design. 


Thinking  About  Christmas 


harvested  from  outdated  seed  and  plant 
catalogs.  Used  for  decoupage  they  can 
beautify  covers  for  garden  record  books, 
trays,  assorted  boxes,  cannisters,  lamps 
or  simply  jar  lids  for  jams,  jellies,  dried 
herbs  for  cooking  or  seeds  carefully 
collected  and  bottled  to  be  planted  for 
next  summer's  treasures.  What  fun  for 
a child  to  paste  pictures  of  Burpee  or 
Harris  vegetables  on  an  empty  Crisco 
or  instant  ice  tea  can,  then  fill  it  with 
his  or  her  own  cutout  or  molded 
cookies  shaped  like  carrots,  tomatoes, 
peppers  or  eggplants,  iced  or  plain. 

Along  with  a pot  or  two  of  forced 
hardy  bulbs  such  as  Narcissus  'Tete  a 
Tete'  or  'Muscari,'  a promissory  note 
for  a choice  plant  or  two  to  be  delivered 
in  spring,  give  a file  box  enhanced  by 
horticultural  decoupage.  Fill  a separate 
file  card  for  each  gift  plant  with  a pic- 
ture, and  note  names  (botanical  and 
common),  cultural  needs  and  statistics, 
idiosyncrasies,  origin,  use  if  any,  date 
of  introduction  or  discovery,  etc.  Don't 
get  carried  away  in  a flush  of  enthusi- 


asm and  forget  to  leave  space  for  future 
records.  Cards  can  be  grouped  by  use, 
such  as  rock  garden,  woods,  border, 
meadow,  etc.  Such  a file  with  notes 
about  quantity,  success,  location  will 
be  the  nucleus  for  valuable  records  and 
perhaps  fewer  bulbs  will  be  uninten- 
tionally destroyed  out  of  season  by 
shovel  and  trowel. 

Cards  listing  recommended  books 
(old  or  new),  their  authors  and  publish- 
ers would  be  a helpful  and  useful  addi- 
tion as  would  the  names  and  addresses 
of  nurseries  handling  hard-to-find  plant 
materials.  The  ubiquitous  seed  catalogs 
are  also  good  resource  material  for 
painters  and  embroiderers,  neophyte 
or  expert.  Some  years  ago  after  paint- 
ing a number  of  trays  with  stylized 
holly  wreaths,  I used  up  the  leftover 
red  and  green  paint  and  switched  to 
painting  a collection  of  viburnums  and 
cotoneasters  on  some  recycled  canape 
trays.  The  botanical  source  was  Way- 
side's catalog.  The  freehand  by-product 
was  nicer  than  the  initial  holly  project. 


Often  people  will  say  to  me,  "I  wish 
I could  do  that,"  referring  either  to 
the  drawing  or  the  embroidery— my 
wish  is  that  they  would  only  try.  The 
results  can  be  surprisingly  satisfying. 
Grandma  Moses  like  other  primitive 
painters  did  just  that,  try.  The  charm 
of  her  work  and  yours  lies  in  its  unique 
quality,  just  as  the  charm  of  children's 
art  in  any  form  is  its  freshness.  The  joy 
of  creating  a gift  will  give  your  effort 
loving  purpose  and  erase  traces  of 
reluctance. 

Observe  fresh  flowers,  leaves,  fruits 
and  vegetables  or  their  counterparts  in 
the  colorful  catalogs.  The  forms  and 
colors  are  already  familiar  to  the  gar- 
dener in  you.  Look  closely  for  design 
qualities  to  be  used  for  geometric 
adaptations,  light  and  airy  line  drawings, 
bold  color  splashes,  neatly  repeated 
floral  motifs  as  well  as  realistic  repre- 
sentations according  to  your  whims 
and  personality.  These  can  be  planted 
on  the  same  kind  of  tin  or  wooden 
objects  listed  above  for  decoupage. 

continued 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Positive  Thoughts  While  Weeding 


Applique  quilt  with  embroidery  touches.  To 
be  hand-  or  machine-sewn  with  plain  and 
printed  fabrics.  Quilting  should  emphasize 
pattern  lines.  Tufting  could  be  substituted 
for  a quick  version. 

Decoupage  file  box. 

One  design  unit:  Dandelion 
Applique  and  embroidery  squares  alter- 
nated with  placed  squares  for  pillow  or  quilt. 
Circular  and  inverse  repeat  design  adaptable 
for  needlepoint,  crewel  or  outline  stitch. 


continued 


illustrations  by  author 


Nondescript  pieces  of  furniture  can  be 
amusing  but  it's  best  to  start  with  the 
smaller  items. 

for  young  persons  and 
not  so  young 

Starting  small  is  also  a good  plan 
for  embroidery  projects;  leave  table- 
cloths, bed  linens,  quilts,  evening  skirts 
or  men's  vests  to  the  experienced.  Start 
with  the  lowly  pot  holders,  guest 
towels,  pin  cushions,  sachets  and  doilies. 
Use  the  best  materials,  however;  a 
flimsy  piece  of  fabric  or  needlepoint 
canvas  will  lead  to  certain  disaster.  For 
a favorite  child,  applique  or  embroider 
a flower,  fruit  or  vegetable  on  dress, 
jeans  or  tee  shirt.  Or  go  all  the  way 
and  make  a costume.  What  fun  to  climb 
into  a flower  or  pumpkin  disguise- 
patterns  are  available  but  can  be  elabor- 
ated on  to  your  heart's  content. 

Paint  an  orange  tree  on  a piece  of 
plywood  or  heavy  cardboard  with  a 
number  of  5-in.  round  holes  cut  into 
the  upper  part.  Give  along  with  a bag 
of  empty  plastic  lemon  and  lime 


squeeze  bottles  to  be  tossed  through 
the  holes.  If  names  are  necessary  call  it 
"Oranges,  Lemons  and  Limes." 

Fashion  fruit,  flower  and  vegetable 
bean  bags  simply  and  colorfully  from 
felt.  For  the  slightly  older  child  add  a 
square  target  painted  or  embroidered 
as  a garden  plot.  The  object  is  to  toss 
the  tomato  on  its  rack,  the  pumpkin 
into  its  patch  and  the  lima  beans  on  its 
pole.  Sew  a loop  at  each  corner,  gather 
the  four  loops  together  and  presto!  the 
garden  plot  turns  into  a storage  bag. 

For  young  and  old  alike  balsam  pil- 
lows were  once  an  all-time  favorite. 
Give  it  a contemporary  look  with  the 
conical  shape  of  Abies  balsamea  appli- 
qued  in  repeated  but  diminishing  sizes. 
Work  a bonsai  Abies  in  crewel  wool, 
or  embroider  a specimen  with  a simple 
outline  stitch  in  a manner  reminiscent 
of  the  woodcuts  in  early  herbals. 

Obviously  it  was  easy  for  me  to  be 
carried  away  into  happy  flights  of  fancy 
as  I pulled  those  weeds.  One  idea 
spawns  another,  some  so  complex  they 


will  never  progress  beyond  the  realms 
of  a fertile  imagination.  In  addition  to 
the  imaginative  gifts  dozens  of  tradi- 
tional gift  ideas  are  possible:  vinegars, 
chutneys,  pesto,  (the  jams  and  jellies 
were  mentioned  earlier),  home  canned 
and  brandied  fruits,  hardly  recognizable 
kin  of  the  tins  of  fruit  on  store  shelves. 
Also  breads,  cakes  and  cookies  made 
from  surplus  zucchini,  carrots  and 
pumpkin  are  great  if  you  have  ample 
freezer  space. 

pressed  flower  arrangements 

We  can't  all  be  blue  ribbon  winners 
with  our  pressed  flower  arrangements 
but  their  colorful  and  delicate  charm 
are  naturally  enticing,  and  such  a gift 
is  certain  to  be  welcomed. 

Flower  petals  and  leaves,  collected 
and  dried,  are  the  bases  for  sachets  and 
potpourri  (find  a good  recipe  unless 
you  are  already  an  expert).  Braided 
lavender  sticks  or  scented  tea  cosies 
are  extra  ways  of  using  the  fragrant 
herbs.  If  you  have  an  ample  source  of 
rose  petals  and  can  collect  at  least  one 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


4 


Costumes 
Potato:  pure  imagination 
Black-eyed-susan : an  adaptation  of  a stand- 
ard pattern 

Cannister  decorated  with  decoupage  and 
filled  with  cookies. 

Three  versions  of  a balsam  pillow:  applique, 
needlepoint,  crewel 

Vegetable  Toss 

Bean  bags:  made  of  felt  or  cloth  scraps 
stuffed  with  (over-the-hill)  beans  and  corn 
from  the  garden 

Target:  to  be  made  of  brown  burlap  or  sail- 
cloth 

Patches:  Plain  and  printed,  bright-colored 
fabrics,  machine-  or  hand-stitched 
Lettering:  embroidery  or  indelible  marker 


grocery  bag  full  on  the  same  day  you 
might  try  making  rose  beads.  Through 
repeated  daily  grindings  the  petals  will 
be  turned  into  a papier-mache  consist- 
ency. This  paste  should  then  be  pressed 
into  a bead  shape  around  a wire  and 
allowed  to  dry  until  firm  and  hard. 
The  color  will  be  brown  but  the  fra- 
grance is  long-lived. 

Now  I leave  you  to  your  own  mus- 
ings  as  you  stem  your  own  greedy  tide 
knowing  that  we  agree;  planning  gifts 
for  the  people  we  love  and  the  memor- 
ies those  thoughts  bring  back  is  nicer 
than  concentrating  on  the  hatefulness 
of  weeds  on  a hot  and  muggy  Delaware 
Valley  summer  day. 


Of  herself,  Joanna  McQ.  Reed  writes:  "Work- 
ing in  the  diverse  areas  of  our  garden  and 
woods,  I feel  close  to  the  plantsmen  who  dis- 
covered or  introduced  these  treasures,  to  the 
friends  who  have  shared  their  plants,  to  the 
gardeners  who  have  encouraged  us  by  visiting 
our  garden  and  lastly  the  plants  that  lend 
themselves  to  so  many  landscape  situations 
and  design  inspirations.” 


DECOUPAGE 


The  dictionary  defines  decoupage  as 
"the  art,  technique  or  method  of  decor- 
ating something  with  paper  cutouts.”  It 
most  certainly  is  art  when  done  by  a 
skilled  person. 

Here's  how  it's  done:  roughly  cut  the 
desired  pictures  from  greeting  cards, 
wrapping  paper,  wallpaper,  magazines  or 
catalogs.  Carefully  trim  to  the  exact  edges 
removing  every  trace  of  background  color. 
If  it  is  necessary  to  cut  the  design  to  re- 
move isolated  bits  of  background  make 
cuts  along  the  line  of  a petal  or  where  a 
stem  joins  a flower  so  they  will  be  incon- 
spicuous. After  cutting  a number  of 
images  lay  them  on  the  object  to  be 
decorated,  pushing  them  around  until 
you  are  pleased  with  the  design,  then 
carefully  glue  each  piece  into  place.  If 
there  is  an  overlap  be  sure  to  glue  the 
underneath  piece  first.  Extra  glue  may 
always  be  applied  with  toothpicks  where 
needed.  Press  with  fingers  or  cloth  to 
remove  air  bubbles  beneath  the  cutouts 
and  let  dry.  An  antique  glaze  may  be 
added  at  this  stage;  it  will  soften  the  cut 


edges  and  add  a professional  touch.  They 
are  now  available,  ready  mixed  in  a var- 
iety of  shades,  at  paint  and  hardware 
stores.  Follow  the  directions  on  the  can. 
For  the  final  finish  use  either  polyure- 
thane or  outdoor  varnish.  They  both 
come  in  a flat  or  glossy  finish.  If  using 
varnish  sand  lightly  between  each  coat 
using  extra  fine  paper.  The  design  could 
be  a single  well-placed  flower  or  a com- 
plicated arrangement  cut  from  a variety 
of  sources.  Once  you  have  tried  your 
hand  at  decoupage  or  pasting  paper  pieces 
you  will  find  yourself  saving  scores  of 
clippings,  cards,  etc.,  for  future  use. 

As  an  experiment  I substituted  pressed 
dried  plant  material  for  the  paper  cutouts. 
The  effect  was  good  but  in  time  the  color 
faded  and  was  disappointing.  However,  it 
eventually  bleached  out  to  a subtle  sophis- 
ticated monochromatic  effect.  When 
working  with  plant  material  I would  sug- 
gest applying  the  antique  glaze  before 
pasting  the  plant  forms.  I would  also 
recommend  not  using  the  plant  material 
for  trays,  table  surfaces,  or  outdoor  pieces. 

J.  McQ.  R. 


25 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


A tile  from  Mercer's  Moravian  Pottery  and 
Tile  Works,  depicting  a reaper  using  a scythe 
before  the  advent  of  machinery. 


When  the  members  of  the  Garden 
Club  of  Philadelphia  invited  Henry 
Mercer  of  Doylestown  to  speak  to 
them  in  1914,  they  could  hardly  have 
anticipated  his  flight  of  fancy,  entitled 
Time's  Gardens.  He  discussed  three 
"marvelous  gardens"  that  stood  out  in 
his  imagination. 

The  first  was  a composite  of  the 
overgrown  ruins  of  Europe's  ancient 
abbeys  and  feudal  castles  "where  the 
dust  of  ages  has  formed  a thick  soil, 
upon  which  trees  wave  their  green 
plumes,  and  scented  flowers  bloom 
without  human  help  or  care." 

Mercer  admitted  it  would  be  "wildly 
extravagant"  to  imitate  a place  like  that 
"where  half  the  beauty  of  the  scene 
consists  in  its  decay.  Yet,"  he  said  pro- 
phetically, "roof  gardens  are  within 
the  range  of  our  effort,  though  as  we 
know  them,  flimsy  make-shifts  . . . 
where  ceilings  supported  upon  iron 
beams  form  flat  terraces,  upon  which 
flower  pots  requiring  continual  atten- 
tion and  watering,  are  placed  in  sum- 
mer, to  be  removed  in  winter. 

"The  real  house-top  garden  with  real 
earth,  and  perennial  trees  and  flowers 
remains  to  be  built,  " he  concluded. 
He  saw  no  reason  why  "modern"  build- 
ing processes,  employing  reinforced 
concrete,  could  not  construct  a roof 
garden  supporting  ten  or  more  feet  of 
earth— "enough  to  hold  the  required 
moisture  for  the  largest  forest  trees 
without  human  attention." 

His  second  garden  was  even  more 
visionary:  the  product  of  the  Indian 
Mound  Builders.  He  described  an  Indian 
Mound  he  had  seen  in  Ohio:  "There, 
slowly,  impressively,  as  if  creeping  out 
of  green  shadows,  by  degrees  came  the 


Henry  C.  Mercer: 

Naturalist  Extraordinary 


(^)  by  Helen  H.  Gemmill 


picture  in  low  relief  and  as  part  of  the 
earth  itself  . . . primitive,  rude,  awe- 
inspiring, I saw  in  colossal  outline  the 
Storm  Eagle  or  Thunder  Bird  of  the 
North  American  Indians." 

He  wondered  why  landscape  archi- 
tects, "with  masses  of  excavated  earth 
at  their  disposal,  should  not  at  times 
have  beautified  their  work  with  the 
shape  of  some  bird,  animal,  plant  . . . 
thus  imperishably  marked  upon  the 
garden  sward." 

His  third  "garden"  even  he  admitted 
to  the  undoubtedly  astonished  club 
members  was  inimitable:  a cave  he  had 
explored  in  Yucatan,  when  he  was 
Curator  of  Prehistoric  Archeology  at 
the  University  Museum  in  the  1890s. 
The  cave  was  especially  memorable 
because  of  an  unusual  opening  in  the 
rock  that  permitted  the  entrance  of 
water,  light,  and  air,  creating  an  under- 
ground "floral  paradise."  These  were 
"Time's  Gardens." 

pet  hate 

One  of  his  pet  hates  was  the  stylized 
pruning  of  trees.  "I  remember  a pollard 
willow  in  one  of  Albrecht  Durer's 
engravings,"  he  once  wrote.  "The  desire 
to  compress  the  outlines  of  all  masses 
of  leafage  into  ideal  globular  form 
resembling  a cabbage  spr[a]ng  from  a 
wave  of  French  influence  which  per- 
vaded Europe  about  the  time  of  Fred- 
erick the  Great." 

In  another  unprepossessing  but  en- 
gaging pamphlet  titled  The  Trees  of 
Doylestown  he  bemoaned  the  use  of 
street  trees  as  hitching  posts,  "blighted 
by  the  teeth  of  horses,"  while  others 
were  "vivisected  when  used  as  stays 
for  trolley  or  telegraph  wires  or  electro- 


cuted by  the  charged  wires  of  electric 
lights." 

He  then  describes  87  specimen  trees 
found  in  the  town,  incorporating  a 
mix  of  literary,  folkloric,  artistic,  and 
historical  allusions  strung  together 
with  hit-or-miss  punctuation.  Consider 
weeping  willow  (Salix  babylonica) : 
"Once  seen,  whether  by  light  of  the 
sun  or  of  the  moon,  this  ghostly  tree 
with  its  incomparable  down  streaming 
of  slender  leafage  can  never  be  for- 
gotten. The  ancient  forests  of  America 
never  saw  it,  but  thoughts  of  romance 
have  followed  it  from  Asia,  its  original 
home  to  Europe,  and  thence  to  the 
New  World.  Its  figure  has  been  carved 
upon  tombs  and  painted  in  cobalt  on 
Canton  china  to  illustrate  the  Chinese 
story  of  the  runaway  lovers.  It  has  been 
planted  in  cemeteries  and  parks,  by 
men,  who  in  spite  of  its  worthless 
wood,  valued  it  for  its  matchless  beauty. 
The  fancies  of  Alexander  Pope  at 
Twickenham  and  the  memories  of 
Napoleon  at  St.  Helena  have  lived  in 
its  long  shadows,  and  it  has  heard  the 
song  of  divine  musicians  when,  accord- 
ing to  Psalms  1 -37  they  hung  their  harps 
upon  it  by  the  waters  of  Babylon." 

In  lengthy  sentences  he  describes  a 
black  walnut  (Juglans  nigra)  in  Court 
House  Park  in  Doylestown : "...  [Also] 
look  for  it  still  in  Solebury  or  Bedmin- 
ster  where  the  farmer,  though  a 
destroyer  of  trees,  loved  to  plant  it 
100  years  ago.  See  it  still  by  the  old 
barnyard  wall,  where  generations  of 
geese  have  cropped  the  grass  and  pad- 
died  in  the  shady  mud,  where  squirrels 
and  'ground  hackies'  have  made  their 
winter  store  in  the  eaves  of  the  rotting 
spring  house— and  where  boys  with 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


stained  hands  and  sore  mouths  have 
Indian-like,  pounded  the  iron-bound 
nuts.  There  old  women  have  boiled 
with  vitriol  the  pungent  husks  to  dye 
Lindsey  Woolsey  brown,  made  sour 
pickles  of  the  young  nuts,  or  as  a safe- 
guard against  thunder,  gathered  in  sum- 
mer the  aromatic  leaves,  vying,  in  their 
exquisite  perfume,  with  the  Australian 
Eucalyptus.” 

Only  Mercer  could  sing  such  paeons 
for  a wild  cherry  (Prunus  serotina): 
"Keep  an  underfed  cat  in  May  and  cut 
down  wild  cherry  trees  if  you  would 
drive  away  and  destroy  the  Blue  Birds, 
Robins,  Cedar  Birds,  Meadow  Larks. 

. . . Though  as  improvers  of  street 
fronts  or  vendors  of  town  lots,  with 
arms  full  of  nursery  bought  Maple  trees, 
we  cut  down  this  bird's  tree;  though 
the  farmer,  classing  the  slender  seedling 
with  poison  ivy,  cow  bane,  or  bramble, 
lays  waste  with  fire  and  salt  the  song- 
sters' paradise  by  the  roadside,  it  is  hard 
work  to  exterminate  these  favorites  of 
nature,  . . . whose  leaves  come  out  a 
second  time  in  late  Summer  after 
armies  of  Caterpillars  have  devoured 
them.” 

His  commentary  on  the  Seckel  pear 
is  especially  worth  noting:  "Because 
this  ancient  Doylestown  tree  . . . was 
probably  planted  about  1806,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  was  pro- 
duced by  direct  ot  nearly  related  graft- 


An original  sketch  by  Mercer,  used  as  the 
logo  for  the  Doylestown  Nature  Club. 


ing,  from  the  original  tree  about  13 
years  before  Doctor  Hosack  introduced 
the  Seckel  Pear  to  Europe,  by  present- 
ing 1 8 plants  of  it  to  the  London  Horti- 
cultural Society,  on  June  5,  1819.  . . . 
[It]  sprung  up  by  chance  from  a Euro- 
pean stock  about  1760,  in  the  rich 
mud  near  the  confluence  of  the  Dela- 
ware and  Schuylkill  rivers,  about  one 
mile  south  of  Point  Breeze  Park.  There 
theoriginal  tree,  photographed  in  1880, 
blew  down  in  1 905." 

He  spoke  with  conviction  about  the 
Seckel  pear.  In  1909  he  and  a friend 
had  set  off  from  Rittenhouse  Square 
by  trolley  car  to  find  the  stump.  Battl- 
ing a stinging  March  wind,  they  crossed 
the  muddy  plain  that  is  now  part  of 
the  airport.  Armed  with  old  and  new 
maps,  and  a wealth  of  advance  research, 
they  came  to  a dilapidated  old  house, 
near  which  stood  the  half-submerged 
stump  of  the  venerable  tree.  Mercer 
broke  off  a piece  for  his  museum,  and 
prowled  in  vain  for  stove  plates  inside 
the  old  dwelling. 

Approaching  darkness  drove  them 
back  to  the  trolley  car,  but  several 
weeks  later  they  returned  with  camera 
and  pruning  knives,  and  took  cuttings 
from  a tree  nearby,  which  was  said  to 
have  been  grafted  from  the  original. 
Dr.  Mercer  transported  his  cutting 
back  to  Fonth ill,  where  he  grafted  it 
onto  a Keiffer. 


reinforced  concrete 

It  is  not  surprising  to  us  that  Mercer 
was  talking  about  reinforced  concrete 
and  gardening  in  the  same  breath  as  far 
back  as  1914.  Mercer  (1856-1930)  has 
long  been  famous  for  his  three  concrete 
"castles"  in  Doylestown:  the  Mercer 
Museum;  his  home,  "Fonthill";  and 
the  Moravian  Pottery  and  Tile  Works- 
all  now  open  to  the  public.  His  collec- 
tion of  early  Americana  and  his  his- 
torical publications  have  received  wide 
acclaim.  Less  well  known,  however,  is 
the  fact  that  he  was  also  a passionate 
naturalist. 

His  was  an  inherited  interest.  His 
father,  William  R.  Mercer,  Sr.,  had  an 
abiding  interest  in  trees,  and  planted 
his  estate,  "Aid ie,"  with  unusual  speci- 
mens. His  mother  loved  flowers,  and 
the  Mercer  gardener's  floral  displays  at 
the  Doylestown  Fair  in  the  1870s 
excited  much  comment.  Even  Henry's 
younger  brother,  William,  Jr.  (who  had 
studied  sculpture  under  Charles  Graf ly), 
had  a related  interest:  in  a Bavarian- 
style  studio  on  the  Aldie  estate,  he 
turned  out  concrete  garden  ornaments 
that  can  still  be  found  throughout  the 
Delaware  Valley. 

Part  of  the  estate  had  a garden  in  the 
Italian  style  (described  by  the  Bush- 
Browns  in  Portraits  of  Philadelphia 
Gardens,  1929)  featuring  an  all ee  of 
pleached  arborvitae,  pergolas,  fountains, 

continued 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Henry  C.  Mercer:  continued 


The  Moravian  Pottery  and  Tile  Works 


a vaulted  loggia,  and  marble  statuary. 
This  clipped  formality  was  not  Henry 
Mercer's  cup  of  tea.  His  travels  had 
exposed  him  to  the  natural  beauty  of 
the  Americas,  and  the  picturesque 
scenery  of  abandoned  Old  World  civili- 
zations; so  when  he  built  "Fonthill"  in 
1908,  his  only  concession  to  formality 
was  two  rows  of  plane  trees  lining  the 
entrance  driveway.  Wild  flowers  were 
encouraged.  Seeds  and  seedlings  of 
trees  were  planted  at  random  around 
the  grounds.  There  was  never  any  foun- 
dation planting,  for  he  was  concerned 
that  the  dampness  would  injure  his 
collection  of  books  and  engravings. 

His  preoccupation  with  nature  and 
man's  environmental  destructiveness 
was  reflected  in  his  writings.  In  the 
1890s  he  was  an  editor  of  American 
Naturalist.  Toward  the  end  of  the  cen- 
tury he  published  an  irate  pamphlet, 
Fashion's  Holocaust,  for  the  Audubon 
Society,  taking  deadly  aim  at  the  use 
of  birds'  feathers— especially  egrets— in 
women's  hats.  ''Count  the  herons  on 
Chestnut  Street  if  you  can.  Nine  warb- 
lers (wings,  legs,  and  heads)  on  one 
woman's  hat.  Two  canary  birds  on  the 
cap  of  a baby.” 

In  the  1920s  Dr.  Mercer  conceived 
the  idea  of  turning  part  of  his  Fonthill 
estate  into  an  arboretum.  With  the 


help  of  the  Doylestown  Nature  Club, 
he  began  to  collect  seeds  and  seedlings 
of  North  American  trees,  "especially 
those  which  thrive  and  grow  well  in 
this  region.” 

With  his  customary  scientific  thor- 
oughness, he  drew  a chart,  showing  the 
location  of  the  plantings,  as  well  as  a 
record  of  where  they  came  from.  On 
October  16,  1929,  for  example,  two 
seedlings  were  dug  up  "under  the  great 
willow  oak  at  Bristol,  V/2  miles  north 
on  Langhorne  Turnpike  left  side  going 
North.  . . not  marked  on  chart  as  all 
may  die.” 

A few  days  later:  ”2  trees  of  osage 
orange  and  5 fruits  given  by  David 
Burpee  [the  seedsman]  . . . Also  2 
seeds  of  buttonwood  tree  planted  by 
me  H.  C.  Mercer  in  the  Cloister  Court- 
yard at  Durnstein  on  the  Danube, 
Upper  Austria  in  1 883,  cut  down  about 
1927." 

About  the  same  time  at  his  adjacent 
pottery  he  designed  "everlasting  mark- 
ers" for  trees,  which  spell  out  both  the 
common  and  botanical  name.  Before 
the  tiles  were  fired,  holes  were  gouged 
in  each  corner,  to  attach  chicken  wire 
that  could  be  loosened  as  the  tree  trunk 
grew. 

Unfortunately  the  arboretum  never 
materialized,  due  to  lack  of  funds  after 


his  death,  though  the  "natural  forest" 
that  he  had  encouraged  to  spring  up,  is 
still  there. 

Mercer's  knowledgeable  interest  in 
native  Pennsylvania  flora  and  fauna  is 
today  best  illustrated  in  the  glowing 
tile  floor  that  he  designed  for  the  Capi- 
tol in  Harrisburg  at  the  beginning  of 
this  century.  In  a series  of  more  than 
400  mosaics  he  depicted  not  only  the 
history  of  the  state— Indian  rock  car- 
vings, Penn's  Treaty,  Washington  Cross- 
ing the  Delaware,  Franklin  and  his  kite, 
the  Battle  of  Gettysburg,  oil  wells  near 
Pittsburgh— but  also  its  natural  environ- 
ment. In  the  preface  to  his  Guide  Book 
to  the  Tiled  Pavement  he  wrote:  "To 
preserve  continually  the  memory  of 
the  forest  from  which  the  State  takes 
its  name,  the  leaves  of  trees  and  the 
forms  of  reptiles,  birds  and  animals 
frequently  appear." 

The  floor  was  cleaned  and  restored 
not  long  ago,  and  remains,  especially 
for  Pennsylvanians,  a unique  visual 
depiction  of  their  heritage— as  well  as  a 
memorial  to  one  of  the  state's  gifted 
native  sons. 

• 

Helen  M.  Gemmill  is  a member  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  Bucks  County  Historical 
Society,  which  owns  and  operates  the  Mercer 
Museum  and  Fonthill.  She  isalso  on  the  board 
of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


neomarica  gracilis 

A friend  had  pots  and  pots  of  Neo- 
marica; she  gave  me  one.  I took  it 
home,  put  it  on  a sunny  southern 
windowsill,  and  then  sort  of  forgot 
about  it.  Except  for  an  occasional 
watering,  it  was  neglected.  But  it  grew 
and  lo  and  behold,  one  day  near  the 
end  of  a sword-shaped  leaf  there  was  a 
flower  bud.  Several  days  later  I looked 
again;  what  had  been  the  promise  of 
something  pretty  was  a shrivelled  up 
brown  thing. 

I found  out  why.  The  apostle  plant 


(so  named  because  1 2 blades  are  needed 
before  a flower  will  develop)  flowers 
for  one  day  only.  It  is  a day  worth 
watching  for  because  the  flower,  small, 
iris-like  and  slightly  iridescent  blue  and 
white,  is  beautiful  and  surprisingly  fra- 
grant. Then,  if  the  point  on  the  blade 
where  the  flower  was  is  pinned  to  a 
pot  of  soil,  or  allowed  to  bend  over 
and  land  conveniently  on  a pebble  tray, 
a new  plant  will  appear. 

Obviously,  Neomarica  is  an  easy 
plant  to  grow.  Since  my  mother  plant 
has  blossomed  many  times  over  the 
years  (and  I have  enjoyed  many  a birth) 

I have  lots  of  plants.  Some  grow  in 
sunny  spots,  others  in  a shaded  kitchen 
window.  The  fans  (another  common 
name— house  iris)  are  flat  and  two- 
dimensional  so  they  don't  require  a 
deep  windowsill.  They  thrive  outside 
in  the  summer  in  light  shade.  Older 
plants  that  have  lived  several  years  in 
one  pot  may  benefit  from  periodic  root 
division,  another  way  to  add  to  your 
collection.  There  will  always  be  some 
to  give  away. 

Try  one.  It's  one  of  those  sure-fire 
house  plants  that's  guaranteed  to  please. 

Betsy  Shuman 


Betsy  Shuman  is  a graduate  of  the  Horticul- 
ture Program  at  Temple  University,  Ambler 
Campus. 


Statement  of  Ownership  Management  and  Circulation  (Act  of 
October  23,  1962;  Section  4369,  Title  39,  United  States  Code). 

1.  Date  of  Filing:  September  25,  1979.  2.  Title  of  Publication:  The 
Green  Scene.  3.  Frequency  of  Issue:  bimonthly.  4-5.  Location  of 
Known  Office  of  Publication  and  Headquarters:  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  19106.  6.  Names  and  Addresses  of  Publisher  and 
Editor:  Publisher  — Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.  19106;  Editor  — Jean  Byrne,  325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
1 91 06. 7.  Owner : The  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society , Philadelphia, 
Pa.  19106.  8.  Known  bondholders,  mortgages  and  other  security  hold- 
ers holding  one  percent  or  more  of  total  amount  of  bonds,  mortgages 
or  other  securities:  None.  9.  Extent  and  Nature  of  Circulation: 


Average  No.  Copies 
Each  Issue  During 
Preceding  1 2 Mos. 

Single  Issue 
Nearest  to 
Filing  Date 

A.  Total  No.  Copies  Printed 
(net  press  run) 

7,575 

7,650 

B.  Paid  Circulation 

Sales  through  dealers  and 
carriers,  street  vendors 
and  counter  sales. 

Mail  subscriptions 

93 

7,142 

23 

7,304 

C.  Total  Paid  Circulation 

7,235 

7,327 

D.  Free  Distribution  (including 
samples)  by  Mail,  Carrier,  or 
other  menas 

74 

74 

E.  Total  Distribution  (sum  of 
C and  D) 

7,309 

7,401 

F.  Office  Use.  Left-Over, 
Unaccounted,  Spoiled 
after  Printing 

266 

249 

G.  Total  (sum  E and  F should 
equal  net  press  run  in  A) 

7,575 

7,650 

I certify  that  the  statements  made  by  me  above  are  correct  and 
complete. 

Jean  Byrne,  Editor 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


growing  interests 


10 


Lady  Belle: 

OUR  ANTHROPOMORPHIC 
CHRISTMAS  CACTUS 

(^)  by  Jan  Riemer 

In  spite  of  my  indifference  to  the 
cactus  family,  I was  somewhat  obligated 
to  show  a certain  amount  of  respect  to 
the  80-year-old  Christmas  cactus  that 
we  had  just  inherited.  Not  only  was  it 
a senior  plant,  but  a "talked  about" 
member  of  our  family  that  had  origi- 
nally been  adopted  by  my  grandmother. 
After  Nana  departed,  the  mature  plant, 
christened  Lady  Belle  (which  was  much 
easier  to  pronounce  than  the  botanical 
name,  Schlumbergera  bridgesii),  found 
a new  home  with  my  mother.  It  seemed 
to  go  into  a state  of  mourning  and  re- 
fused to  put  forth  the  spectacular 
show  of  Christmas  blossoms  that  had 
been  as  traditional  as  the  season  itself. 

It  displayed  no  ingratiating  charac- 
teristics to  impress  my  youthful  mind, 
and  I never  became  attached  to  the 
plant.  But  Mom  hung  in  there,  and 
after  I had  moved  to  Pennsylvania,  she 
wrote  saying  Lady  Belle  had  begun  to 
show  off  again  by  producing  over  100 
intense,  cerise-pink  blossoms,  just  in 
time  for  their  annual  Christmas  party. 
The  plant  continued  this  pattern  for 
many  years,  after  having  been  placed 
on  a cool  sun  porch. 

Upon  joining  us  last  November,  it 
began  balking  again  and  produced  only 
a few  isolated  blossoms.  I began  to 
consider  that  the  plant  wasn't  being 
contrary.  Maybe  it  wasn't  being 
humored  enough  culturally.  It  was 
then  my  research  began. 

The  plant  was  indeed  potbound, 
and  I was  tempted  to  have  it  repotted 
professionally  until  I read  that  repot- 
ting is  seldom  necessary  as  the  Christmas 
cactus  blooms  better  under  crowded 
conditions.  The  idea  would  have  to  be 
filed  as  a last  resort,  and  at  least  wait 
until  the  recommended  time  to  trans- 
plant in  April. 

It  would  appear  that  after  these 
many  years,  the  soil  mixture  was  prob- 
ably a bit  tired,  but  as  long  as  it  wasn't 
going  to  be  repotted  using  a well  mixed 
combination  of  one  part  each  of  fertile 
garden  loam,  coarse  sand,  rotted  man- 
ure or  compost,  and  leafmold,  perhaps 
a tonic  might  stimulate  some  activity, 
so  I gave  it  the  same  treatment  that  all 


my  indoor  plants  receive— used  tea 
leaves  and  room  temperature  tea  brew. 

Next,  I transferred  Lady  Belle  from 
a too-warm  living  room  to  a southeast 
exposure  in  our  62°  dining  room;  very 
soon  buds  began  to  form  on  many  of 
the  flat,  woody  stem  tips.  Careful  water- 
ing was  essential  during  this  critical 
stage  of  blossom  development.  Too 
much  water  would  cause  bud-drop. 
Too  little  would  stint  growth,  although 
it's  always  prudent  to  grow  the  plant 
on  the  dry,  rather  than  wet  side.  We 
must  have  been  doing  something  right 
because  in  February,  Lady  Belle 
showered  the  third  generation  owners 
with  a profusion  of  exotic  blossoms 
that  lasted  about  six  weeks.  Once  it 
was  in  full  bloom,  I gradually  decreased 
the  amount  of  water,  allowing  only 
enough  to  keep  the  stems  plump  and 
firm. 

After  all  danger  of  frost.  Lady  Belle 
was  placed  outdoors  on  the  north  side 
of  the  house  where  it  remained  for  the 
summer  amongst  shrubs  and  trees  that 
received  only  filtered  sunlight.  (Some 
horticulturists  believe  that  direct  sun- 
light is  also  acceptable.) 

Once  the  new  growth  started  at  the 
tips,  I began  propagation  by  cutting 
pieces  of  branches,  two  or  three  seg- 
ments long  at  a joint  where  aerial  roots 
are  apparent,  and  placed  them  in  water 
until  a healthy  root  system  had  devel- 
oped. Then  I followed  the  above  direc- 
tions for  soil  requirements.  Blossoming 
the  first  year  is  not  unlikely. 

In  mid-September,  before  frost,  we 
bring  the  plant  indoors  and  follow  pro- 
fessional instructions  for  Christmas 
cactus  culture. 

Because  Christmas  cactuses  never 
seem  to  require  a rest  period,  one  must 


be  forced  upon  them.  Furthermore, 
dormancy  is  considered  the  best 
method  for  developing  buds  annually. 
An  enforced  rest  period  in  this  plant's 
life  is  managed  by  withholding  water 
and  nutrients.  And  the  Christmas 
cactus  should  be  placed  in  a dark  room 
for  the  month  of  October  with  temper- 
atures ranging  between  50°  and  55°. 
Any  artificial  light  will  inhibit  growth. 

Since  Christmas  cactuses  are  a 
"short  day  plant,"  they  won't  set  blos- 
soms when  the  days  are  long  or  temper- 
atures high.  When  they  emerge  from 
dormancy  in  November  the  buds  will 
begin  to  form.  During  the  active  grow- 
ing season  resume  watering,  letting  it 
run  freely  through  the  soil.  Begin 
gradually,  watering  a little  at  a time, 
about  once  a week,  and  when  new 
growth  appears  at  the  end  of  the  old 
tip,  increase  watering,  but  when  the 
buds  begin  to  form,  immediately  reduce 
the  amount  of  water. 

As  growth  progresses,  gradually 
expose  the  plant  to  full  sun,  and  apply 
a weak  solution  of  balanced  soluble 
fertilizer  every  two  weeks— or  until  the 
buds  begin  to  show  color  at  which  time 
the  fertilizing  should  be  discontinued. 

As  I undertook  to  write  about  this 
plant,  I had  hoped  there  might  be 
some  intriguing  legend  about  the 
Christmas  cactus,  but  each  query  led 
to  a dead  end.  Perhaps  with  a bit  of 
imagination,  however,  our  own  fable 
can  be  developed.  I shall  leave  such  an 
enterprise  to  our  son  who  will  inherit 
the  grand  old  plant  when  it's  time  for 
it  to  move  on  to  the  fourth  generation. 


Jan  Riemer  is  a frequent  contributor  to 
Green  Scene. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Landscaping  in  a Heterogeneous  Community 

an  opportunity  to  deal  with  reality  while  assimilating  theory 


In  college  many  students  find  them- 
selves long  on  theory  and  short  on 
practical  experience.  As  a student  of 
horticulture  and  landscape  design,  I 
was  no  exception  to  that  dilemma  and 
was  delighted  when  an  opportunity 
arose  midway  in  my  graduate  studies 
at  the  University  of  Delaware,  to  gain 
some  practical  experience  in  landscape 
design. 

My  chance  came  through  Stevenson 
W.  Fletcher,  Jr.,  a landscape  designer 
who  is  consultant  landscape  architect 
to  various  colleges  and  retirement  com- 
munities, such  as  Haverford  and  Bryn 
Mawr  colleges,  Foulkeways  and  Kendal. 
In  1976  Steve  was  asked  to  landscape 
Crosslands,  a new  retirement  commun- 
ity adjacent  to  Kendal,  two  miles  north 
of  Kennett  Square,  Pa.  In  an  attempt 
to  avoid  some  of  the  problems  they 
had  run  into  at  Kendal,  the  Kendal/ 
Crosslands  management  decided  to  ask 
those  residents  with  gardens  surround- 
ing their  apartments  to  submit  a garden 
plan  for  Steve  Fletcher's  approval.  The 
plans  were  not  supposed  to  be  elabor- 
ate, but  at  least  Steve  would  be  able  to 
veto  plantings  that  might  become  expen 
sive  safety  hazards  within  a few  years. 
The  management  informed  prospective 
residents  of  the  required  procedure, 
made  available  blank  plans  for  the  vari- 
ous types  of  apartments,  and  gave  the 
residents  several  options:  they  could 
do  the  plan  themselves,  they  could 
have  it  done  by  a local  nursery  or  land- 
scape designer,  or  they  could  call  me 
for  help. 

Thanks  to  Steve  and  the  manage- 
ment at  Crosslands,  here  was  a chance 
for  me  to  deal  with  real  clients  instead 
of  the  imaginary  homeowners  we  had 
considered  in  landscaping  classes  at 
Temple  University,  and  I could  carry 
designs  through  from  concept  to  plant- 
ing. Although  the  size  of  the  gardens 
(150-500  sq.  ft.)  indicated  the  land- 
scaping would  hardly  emulate  the  style 
of  Capability  Brown,  Humphrey  Rep- 
ton,  or  Frederick  Law  Olmsted,  at  least 
it  was  a start  and  it  got  me  away  from 
the  traditional  student  problem  of 


(^)  by  Jane  Pepper 

rarely  seeing  a design  installed. 

Nervously  I waited  for  my  first 
client  to  call.  In  July,  1977  the  call 
finally  came,  and  we  met  at  Crosslands 
As  the  place  was  still  under  construc- 
tion, the  area  resembled  a bomb  site 
and  we  both  had  difficulty  imagining 
the  finished  product.  The  apartment 
faced  north  and  the  first  plan  I pro- 
duced did  not  impress  my  client:  she 


Planning  and  tending  a garden 
can  play  an  important  role  in  the 
lives  of  older  people:  as  they  put 
the  garden  to  bed  in  the  fall  they 
have  an  additional  objective  on 
the  horizon— to  open  it  up  again 
next  spring. 


didn't  fully  appreciate  the  necessity 
for  shade-loving  plants.  On  reflection  I 
realized  my  first  attempt  was  unimagi- 
native. Gradually  we  reworked  the  plan 
to  our  mutual  satisfaction. 

Since  that  first  attempt  I have  pro- 
vided landscaping  advice  to  several 
Crosslands  residents.  The  sites  are  all 
similar,  but  each  situation  proved  a 
unique  challenge.  Residents  with  health 
limitations  and  those  with  many  other 
interests  wanted  gardens  with  the 
smallest  possible  maintenance  require- 
ments. Some  wanted  to  create  a mini- 
arboretum within  their  tiny  plot. 
Others  wanted  spring  gardens  as  they 
still  own  summer  cottages  and  planned 
to  be  away  from  June  until  October. 
Several  were  coming  from  southern  cli- 
mates and  had  to  readjust  their  think- 
ing to  accommodate  only  plants  hardy 
in  Zone  6.  With  many  of  the  residents 
there  was  an  understandable  urgency 
to  get  their  gardens  planted.  Some 
joked  about  their  prospects  for  longev- 
ity, others  were  distressed  by  the  bare- 
ness of  a recently-completed  construc- 
tion site.  They  had  suffered  an  enor- 
mous wrench  in  leaving  the  homes  and 
gardens  they  had  nurtured  for  so  long, 
and  felt  that  a growing  garden  would 


contribute  toward  their  feeling  more 
settled. 

the  pet  problem 

One  of  the  more  interesting  prob- 
lems was  presented  to  me  by  a woman 
from  Connecticut.  Her  household 
included  two  West  Highland  terriers 
that  she  wished  to  keep  within  her 
garden.  At  home  a simple  fence  had 
solved  this  problem.  At  Crosslands  the 
management  stipulated  no  fences  in 
front  of  the  apartment  buildings  in 
case  quick  access  was  necessary  in  an 
emergency. 

Throughout  August  the  owner  of 
the  terriers  and  I developed  a close 
relationship  over  the  telephone  and 
plans  were  posted  to  and  from  Con- 
necticut. No  fence— well  that  seemed 
to  mean  no  dogs— and  she  was  not 
coming  to  Crosslands  without  them. 
The  alternative  suggestion  was  a wood- 
en fence  on  the  two  sides  and  a bar- 
berry hedge  across  the  front  of  the 
apartment.  She  suggested  three  rows 
of  William  Penn  barberry.  The  nursery- 
man and  I thought  two  rows  would  be 
sufficient  and  suggested  using  Mentor 
barberry,  which  is  more  rigid  than 
William  Penn.  Maggie  and  Robert 
moved  in  and  within  24  hours  had 
proved  us  wrong  and  their  mistress 
right— we  added  a third  row  of  barberry. 
Having  solved  the  dog  problem,  my 
friend  from  Connecticut  has  made  a 
delightful  garden  by  enlarging  her  con- 
crete patio  with  a flagstone  terrace  and 
planting  several  large  shade  trees  in  the 
area  outside  the  apartment.  Two  large 
arborvitae  also  help  break  the  severe 
lines  of  the  two-story  building. 

For  those  residents  who  planned  to 
remain  at  Crosslands  throughout  the 
summer,  the  openness  of  the  site  and 
the  lack  of  shade  trees  around  the 
buildings  presented  a problem.  The 
dog  lover  from  Connecticut  solved  this 
with  wooden  shades,  another  client 
erected  a wooden  awning  with  slatted 
roof.  Many  hours  were  spent  contem- 
plating the  width  of  the  slats  and  the 
distance  between  each  one,  trying  to 

continued 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Landscaping  continued 


Garden  edged  with  boxwood. 


ensure  shade  in  summer  on  the  terrace, 
and  sufficient  light  in  the  apartment  in 
winter.  In  her  garden  we  also  included 
a raised  brick  planter  with  a flagstone 
cap  to  increase  the  terrace  seating 
capacity  to  accommodate  visitors. 
When  this  gardener  first  called  I was 
happy  to  hear  an  English  voice  on  the 
other  end  of  the  telephone.  Despite 
the  difficult  climatic  conditions  and 
soil  problems  at  Crosslands,  we  both 
have  ridiculous  longings  for  an  elabor- 
ate perennial  border  in  her  little  garden. 

Two  other  residents  have  come  to 
Crosslands  after  living  and  working  for 
many  years  in  New  York  City.  The 
experience  of  having  a garden  is  totally 
new  to  them.  I don't  think  house  plants 
were  even  part  of  the  scene  in  their 
New  York  apartment.  They  were,  how- 
ever, very  definite  in  their  wishes  for 
the  garden:  nothing  was  to  obstruct 
the  magnificent  south-facing  view  they 
have  over  the  wooded  valley  that  joins 
Crosslands  to  Kendal;  the  shrubs  were 
to  have  berries  to  attract  birds;  they 
wished  at  least  one  forsythia  plant  to 
be  incorporated  into  the  design,  and 
space  to  plant  spring  bulbs.  For  the 
first  time  they  planned  to  enjoy  spring 
at  their  own  front  door.  With  no  pre- 
vious gardening  experience,  this  couple 
arrived  at  Crosslands  without  gardening 
tools,  and  once  we  had  planted  the  gar- 
den they  sought  my  advice  on  basic 
gardening  books  and  the  tools  they 
would  need  to  maintain  the  garden.  A 
hose,  a pair  of  pruning  shears,  a trowel, 
and  a weed  scratcher  seemed  sufficient 
to  get  them  through  the  first  year. 


The  longing  for  a perennial  border  is  satisfied  in  spite  of  climatic  conditions  and  soil  problems. 


accommodating  impulse 

Another  client,  this  time  a gentle- 
man from  Baltimore,  provided  me 
with  hours  of  interest  and  amusement 
in  the  spring  of  that  year.  Unlike  the 
others  he  was  in  no  hurry.  We  first 
talked  in  October  and  he  assured  me 
he  could  wait  until  spring.  During  that 
discussion  he  told  me  he  didn't  know 
much  about  horticulture  and  would 
leave  the  plant  selection  up  to  me.  He 
did  mention  that  he  would  prefer  ever- 
greens to  deciduous  plants  and  was  not 
concerned  with  having  a colorful  gar- 
den. When  spring  came  we  discussed 
the  proposed  plan,  changed  a few 
things,  and  I set  out  to  find  the  neces- 
sary plants  in  local  nurseries.  No  sooner 
had  the  plan  gone  out  to  bid  than  the 
man  from  Baltimore  called  with  the 
news  that  he  had  made  a small  purchase 
that  he  wanted  me  to  include  in  the 
plan.  The  small  purchase  turned  out  to 
be  250  3-in.  pots  of  Kingsville  dwarf 
boxwood  that  he  had  found  irresistible 
during  a trip  to  Henry  Hohman's  Kings- 
ville nursery  in  Baltimore.  Between  us 
we  laughed  over  his  indulgence  and 
decided  that  we  would  edge  the  whole 
garden  with  several  rows  of  boxwood. 
Some  edge  their  gardens  with  marigolds, 
others  with  dwarf  box. 

Before  the  nurserymen  could  install 
the  rest  of  the  plants,  the  compulsive 
shopper  had  purchased  two  upright 
junipers  (clipped  in  such  interesting 
shapes  that  we  christened  them  the 
worms),  a weeping  spruce,  and  another 
64  dwarf  conifers  of  uncertain  name 
from  the  Hohman  nursery.  Sadly  for 
him,  but  luckily  for  the  garden,  my 
friend  had  to  give  up  his  driving  license 
before  he  could  make  another  trip  to 
Kingsville.  This  allowed  the  nurseryman 
to  complete  the  job,  and  we  were 


delighted  to  find  that  all  the  purchases 
fitted  into  the  small  garden.  Through- 
out the  summer  the  garden  has  a neat, 
cool  appearance  and  in  winter  it 
remains  an  interesting  feature  in  the 
Crosslands  landscape.  To  my  client's 
delight  it  has  become  a curiosity 
throughout  the  community,  and  has 
even  merited  mention  in  the  Crosslands 
Chronicle. 

One  growing  season  has  made  an 
enormous  difference  at  Crosslands  and 
the  place  is  gradually  losing  its  newly- 
planted  look.  A walk  through  the  com- 
munity reveals  an  extraordinary  variety 
of  gardens,  window  boxes,  even  cold 
frames  and  greenhouses.  In  one  area 
space  has  been  set  aside  for  residents' 
vegetable  gardens.  An  active  horti- 
culture committee  meets  frequently  to 
discuss  landscaping  problems  around 
the  community  and  to  initiate  new 
plantings. 

For  me  the  benefits  of  my  associ- 
ations with  Crosslands  residents  go  far 
beyond  the  experience  I gained  in  land- 
scaping. Without  an  exception  my 
new-found  friends  were  facing  this 
somewhat  traumatic  period  in  their 
lives  by  turning  towards  the  future 
rather  than  looking  back  towards  the 
past.  Planning  and  tending  a garden 
can  play  an  important  role  in  the  lives 
of  older  people:  as  they  put  the  garden 
to  bed  in  the  fall  they  have  an  addi- 
tional objective  on  the  horizon— to 
open  it  up  again  next  spring.  It  was  a 
pleasure  to  be  associated  with  these 
forward-looking  spirits. 


Jane  Pepper  is  Public  Information  Coordi- 
nator at  PHS.  Her  weekly  column  appears  in 
the  Main  Line  Times  and  News  of  Delaware 
County. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Holiday  horticulture  has  much  tradi- 
tion attached  to  it.  I find  plant  lore  to 
be  a fascinating  study,  and  the  PHS 
Library  has  a comprehensive  section 
on  the  legends  of  plants. 

I 've  chosen  five  different  plants  that 
are  traditionally  connected  with  the 
holiday  season.  You  may  be  familiar 
with  some,  others  may  be  completely 
new.  Why  not  consider  giving  one  or 
more  of  these  plants  as  holiday  gifts. 
Do  alittle  research  and  include  the  holi- 
day legend  with  your  gift  card. 

The  Christmas  rose  (Helleborus 
niger)  is  not  a rose  at  all,  but  rather  a 


member  of  the  buttercup  family.  The 
Christmas  rose  blooms  at  Christmas- 
time sometimes  even  under  a cover  of 
snow.  For  thousands  of  years  it  was 
used  in  Egypt  and  Greece  as  a medicine 
supposedly  curing  a variety  of  ills. 

The  holiday  legend  reveals  that  a 
little  girl  was  saddened  because  she 
had  no  gift  to  bring  to  the  manger.  An 
angel  appeared  and  caused  a nearby 
helleborus  to  burst  into  bloom.  The 
little  girl  gathered  the  flowers  and  pre- 
sented them  to  the  new  born  babe 
who  much  preferred  them  to  the  gifts 
from  the  Magi.  I can't  guarantee  that 
you  will  prefer  Christmas  rose  over  a 
gift  of  gold,  but  if  you  have  a spot  that 
is  moist  and  semi-shady  try  one.  Some 
people  might  consider  finding  a blos- 
som in  your  garden  in  December  or 
January  a treasure  more  precious  than 
gold. 

I find  the  Christmas  rose  and  its 
close  relative  the  Lenten  rose  (H.  orien- 


SfttGts&Sftuicies 

ABOUT  SOME  HOLIDAY  HORTICULTURE 

or 

(who  hangs  the  holly  first  in  your  house?) 


(§£)  by  Ed  Lindemann 


talis)  that  blooms  at  Easter  time  among 
the  easiest  of  perennials  to  grow.  It 
may  take  a year  or  two  before  they 
start  to  bloom,  but  after  that  all  they 
require  is  a light  fertilizing  in  the  spring 
and  plenty  of  moisture  during  the  hot, 
dry  months  of  summer. 

Hedera  helix.  English  ivy  comes  in  a 
variety  of  shapes,  sizes  and  forms.  Some 
grow  indoors,  some  grow  outdoors  and 


to  some  itdoesn't  matter.  You  can  grow 
it  in  a pot,  on  a trellis  or  frame,  as  a 
hanging  basket  or  groundcover.  Accord- 
ing to  legend,  ivy  was  a remedy  for 
disease,  prevented  drunkenness,  insured 
fidelity,  fertility  and  happiness.  Ivy 
was  used  to  decorate  the  outside  door- 
ways of  homes  and  churches  during 
the  Christmas  season. 

Ivy  is  not  difficult  to  grow  in  almost 
any  form.  Good  light,  adequate  mois- 
ture and  an  occasional  fertilizing  are  all 
that  is  needed.  The  interest  in  ivy 
comes  with  its  many  variations  and  the 
way  you  choose  to  use  it.  Try  com- 
bining two  or  more  types  in  a topiary 


piece.  Hedera  helix  'Shamrock,'  'Itsy 
Bitsy ,'  'Needlepoint,'  and  'Glacier'  are 
but  a few  of  the  many  varieties  suited 
for  topiary  work.  Hardy  ivies  such  as 
Hedera  helix  'Baltica'  do  well  trained 
on  a wall  or  even  a wood  or  wire  frame 
outside.  Hedera  helix  'Fluffy  Ruffles' 
is  a good  curly  ivy  for  outdoor  use  in 
protected  areas.  I have  it  growing  along 
the  top  of  a low  dry  wall  in  semi-shade 
and  it  has  done  well  during  the  past 
two  severe  winters.  I have  found  that 
any  hardy  ivy  will  suffer  if  grown  in 
full  sun  during  the  winter.  In  my  pre- 
vious garden  I had  Hedera  helix  'Baltica' 
in  full  sun  on  a south  bank.  While  the 
plants  were  not  killed,  it  took  until  the 
middle  of  summer  for  new  growth  to 
cover  the  winter  damaged  foliage. 

The  biggest  problem  with  indoor 
ivy  seems  to  be  red  spider  mites.  The 
part  of  the  legend  that  deals  with  fertil- 
ity must  be  true  since  spider  mites  cer- 
tainly thrive  on  ivy.  During  the  winter 
months  inside  I have  found  that  a daily 
misting  with  a fine  spray  of  water 
combined  with  a weekly  washing  under 
the  spigot  will  keep  the  population 
under  control.  During  the  summer 
months  when  the  potted  ivies  go  out- 
side on  the  terrace  a monthly  spraying 
of  kelthane  will  control  the  problem. 

Ilex  aqulfolium , English  holly  is 
the  traditional  Christmas  holly  and  it 
is  used  today  in  combination  with  Ilex 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


Sfctcts&Sftuicies 


continued 


attraction  to  the  sun  because  of  its 
evergreen  quality.  Witches  despised 
holly  and  it  was  hung  around  windows 
and  door  frames  to  prevent  them  from 
entering.  My  favorite  legend  concerns 
domestic  tranquility.  It  is  said  that 
whoever  brings  holly  for  Christmas  into 
the  house  first,  be  it  the  husband  or 
the  wife,  will  be  the  ruler  for  the  com- 
ing year. 

We  are  fortunate  in  the  Delaware 
Valley  area  to  have  a climate  conducive 
to  holly  culture.  Most  varieties  will 
grow  in  any  location.  Some  protection 
from  strong  winter  wind  and  reflected 
sun  is  suggested.  Keep  the  plants  well 
watered  in  summer.  Lindane  sprays 
will  help  prevent  the  holly  leaf  miner 
from  disfiguring  the  foliage.  If  you  give 
or  receive  a holly  as  a gift  this  season 
remember  that  it  is  a hardy  plant  and 
while  you  probably  won't  be  able  to 
plant  it  outdoors  right  away  you  will 
want  to  keep  it  watered  and  in  a very 
cool  sunny  location  in  the  house.  Do 
not  use  young  holly  plants  as  center- 
pieces  on  living  room  or  dining  room 
tables.  Sunporches,  deep  windowsills 
or  bright  unheated  rooms  are  good 
locations  for  wintering  over  your  new 
holly  plant. 

Laurus  nobilis,  laurel  or  bay  as  it  is 
commonly  called,  has  been  used  for 
incense  for  centuries.  Persons  highly 
esteemed  were  crowned  with  laurel. 
Laurus  should  be  not  confused  with 
either  mountain  laurel  or  bayberry.  It 
is  the  bay  that  we  use  in  cooking.  In 
Europe,  bay  is  used  to  decorate  churches 
at  Christmastime.  If  you  have  a friend 
who  fears  electrical  storms,  a bay  plant 
is  the  ideal  gift.  A bay  leaf  held  in  the 
hand  is  guaranteed  protection  from 
thunder  and  lightning. 


Laurus  nobilis  makes  an  attractive 
as  well  as  useful  container-grown  plant. 
The  culture  is  much  the  same  as  for 
other  herbs  grown  indoors.  A temper- 
ature between  50°  - 70°;  as  much  sun- 
light as  possible.  Do  not  allow  the 
plants  to  remain  pot-bound  for  a long 
period  of  time.  The  major  pest  that 
plagues  bay  plants  is  the  blisterlike  scale. 
Check  for  it  on  the  undersides  of  the 
leaves  often.  A brush  will  remove  a 
small  infestation;  larger  cases  should 
be  treated  with  an  oil  spray. 

Rosemary  (Rosmarinus  officinalis) 
is  for  remembrance  and  is  often 
thought  of  as  a funeral  herb.  On  the 
other  hand  this  member  of  the  mint 
family  also  symbolizes  happiness.  The 
legend  states  that  Mary  was  fleeing  to 
Egypt  and  took  shelter  under  a rose- 
mary bush;  she  hung  her  blue  shawl  on 
the  plant.  During  the  night  the  blos- 
soms changed  from  white  to  blue.  The 
plant  then  became  known  as  the  Rose 
of  Mary.  Rosemary  has  been  used  for 
cooking,  medicine  and  incense.  What 


nicer  plant  could  you  give  for  a holiday- 
gift  than  the  plant  of  remembrance? 

The  culture  of  rosemary  is  the  same 
as  for  the  above-mentioned  Laurus 
nobilis.  My  experience  is  that  it  is 
important  not  to  overwater  a potted 
rosemary.  I keep  mine  in  a bright  un- 
heated room  during  the  winter  with  a 
night  temperature  of  40°  - 45°;  I water 
very  little  (enough  to  prevent  the  soil 
from  becoming  brick  dry).  Put  the 
plant  out  early  in  spring  in  a location 
where  it  will  receive  full  sun  as  the 
summer  progresses  and  you  will  be  re- 
warded with  a cover  of  tiny  blue 
blossoms. 

There  are  my  five  plants  for  this 
holiday  season.  Try  one  or  all  either 
for  yourself  or  as  a gift.  Meet  their 
growing  requirements  and  they  will 
repay  you  by  delighting  the  senses  of 
taste,  touch,  sight  and  smell.  Enjoy  the 
plants  for  all  they  offer  including  their 
lore.  And  remember  if  you  want  to 
rule  the  roost  get  the  holly  on  the 
mantle  first.  Happy  Holiday! 


1 Encyclopedia  of  Horticulture,  L.  Upcott  Gill, 
London  1887. 

2 Illustration  from  Royal  Horticulture  Society, 
Dictionary  of  Gardening,  Vol.  2,  Fred  C. 
Crittenden,  Clarendon  Press,  Oxford,  1951 . 


3 Illustration  from  The  Ivy  Book: The  Growing  5 1 1 lustration  from  The  Book  of  Spices,  F 

and  Care  of  Ivy  and  Ivy  Topiary,  Suzanne  Rosengarten,  Jr.,  Livingston  Publishing  Com- 

Warner  Pierot.  pany,  Wynnewood,  Pa.,  1969. 

4 Illustration  from  American  Horticultu re.  Fall 
1960,  Vol.  48.  No.  4. 


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Orchid  hobbyists  will  enjoy  the  meetings  of 
the  Southeastern  Penna.  Orchid  Society  held 
September  through  June  on  the  second  Wed- 
nesday of  each  month  at  8 pm  in  Clothier 
Hall,  Bryn  Mawr  Hospital  nurses  home. 
Beginners  and  advanced  orchidists  will  find 
the  programs  interesting  and  informative. 
For  information  call  688-1237. 


THE  HILL  COMPANY,  8615  Germantown 
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the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


classified  ads  continued 


Christmas  Ornaments  — Critters,  Angels  and 
Stars  illustrated  booklet  on  gathering  and 
construction  from  natural  plant  material. 
$2.25,  DEAN,  Box  421A,  Dept.  G,  Chadds 
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Building  Underground  Solar  House  with 
Attached  Greenhouse,  spring  1980.  Require 
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in  building  custom  designed  greenhouse  to 
architect's  specs.  For  information:  Joe  Glatz, 
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Autumn's  upon  us.  If  you're  having  trouble 
keeping  up  with  your  garden,  I can  help.  Per- 
haps you  need  an  extra  pair  of  hands  for 
clean-up,  for  top-dressing  your  lawn  and  beds, 
or  for  late  planting  of  bulbs,  perennials, 
shrubs  and  trees.  You  know  how  effort  now 
pays  off  next  spring.  Call  Bob  Works,  732- 
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VISITORS  WELCOME!  Share  the  fun  of 
orchid  growing.  THE  DELAWARE  ORCHID 
SOCIETY  meetings  offer  the  beginner  and 
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Meetings  are  usually  held  the  2nd  Thursday 
of  each  month.  N.B.  November  meeting  is 
scheduled  for  15th,  3rd  Thursday  ...Novem- 
ber 29  — Auction  (special  event).  Meetings 
are  held  at  Memorial  Hall,  Talleyville  Fire 
Co.  For  more  information  write  to  DOS, 
Box  9414,  Wilmington,  DE  19809. 


J.  FRANKLIN  STYER  NURSERIES 
"The  Original  Styer" 

Announces  the  YULE  TREE  SHOP  will 
open  the  first  weekend  in  November. 
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• Gleaming  Baldwin  Brass  candlesticks 
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• Spode's  "Christmas  Tree"  place  set- 
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• Custom-made  wreaths  and  decorations 
—both  permanent  and  fresh. 

For  THE  Christmas  tree,  you  can  choose 
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From  the  "Yule-do-it  Shop"  we  offer  a wide 
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U.S.  Route  1 , Concordville,  PA  1 9331 
GL  9-2400 


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Jean  Byall,  382-6849. 


LORD  & BURNHAM  GREENHOUSES  are 
the  best  and  most  attractive  greenhouses 
made— bar  none!  173  models  are  available 
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construction  and  operation  of  your  green- 
house call  Lord  & Burnham's  agent,  Robert 
J.  LaRouche  at  Newtown  Gardens,  3910 
West  Chester  Pike,  Newtown  Square,  PA 
19073.  Tel.  215-353-6121. 


HORTICULTURISTS 
VISIT  SANTA'S  WORKSHOP 
at 

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Rt.  1,  Morrisville,  PA 
(215)  295-1138 

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Live  Nativity  Scene 
Decorated  Wreaths 
Fresh  Flower  Arrangements 


For  Sale.  Two  used  greenhouses,  both  metal 
frame  in  good  condition.  One,  by  Metropoli- 
tan, is  21  ft.  by  40  ft.  The  other  is  by  Lord 
& Burnham,  17  ft.  by  21  ft.,  with  good 
benches.  Asking  $2,500  for  the  larger  and 
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VILLAGE  GARDENS 
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Full  color  prints  from  the  Garden,  1885-1905. 
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Valley  Forge  Orchids 
400  Valley  Forge  Plaza 
King  of  Prussia,  PA  19406 


ARBORICULTURE 

The  Care,  Maintenance  and  Preservation  of 
Your  Trees  and  Bushes 
Natural  Pruning  is  our  Specialty 
For  Free  Inspection  and  Analysis  call 

McFarland,  inc. 

1 09  Walnut  Lane,  Philadelphia,  PA  19144 
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KEEP  YOUR  FEET  DRY  WITH  WALK- 
ALONG®  mats  for  greenhouse  and  potting 
shed  walks.  Lightweight,  strong  polyethylene. 
Can  be  connected  for  any  desired  length  or 
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Harleysville,  PA  19438. 


HEAD  GARDENER  REQUIRED 
Owner  of  Old  Estate  in  Jenkintown  seeks 
head  gardener  to  care  for  lawns,  flowers  and 
vegetable  garden.  No  greenhouse.  Two  addi- 
tional gardeners  employed.  Permanent  posi- 
tion. Box  A,  Pennsylvania  Horticultural 
Society,  325  Walnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  PA 
19106. 


Advertising  copy  should  be  submitted  8 weeks  before  issue  date:  November,  January,  March,  May,  July,  September.  Minimum  rate  $10.00 
(covers  up  to  35  words).  Additional  words  20 <t  each.  Less  10%  discount  for  two  or  more  consecutive  issues,  using  same  copy.  All  copy  should 
be  accompanied  by  check  made  out  to  PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  andsentto  Mary  Elizabeth  Lee, THE  GREEN  SCENE, 
325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  PA  19106. 


the  green  scene  • nov.  1979 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE 
JANUARY  • FEBRUARY 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 

Volume  8,  Number  3 Jan. /Feb.  1 980 

\ 

published  by 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA 

HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY 

325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  19106 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman / Chairman 
Ernesta  D.  Ballard  /President 
Jean  Byrne / Editor 

PUBLICATIONS  COMMITTEE 
Nancy  Howard  /Chair 
George  Borowsky 
C.  Stuart  Brown 
Alexander  Crosby 
Barbara  Hesse  Emerson 
Herbert  W.  Goodall,  Jr. 

George  M.  Harding 
Bobette  Leidner 
Dorothy  S.  Young 

DESIGNER 

Julie  Baxendell 

Baxendell  Design  Associates 

THE  GREEN  SCENE,  (USPS  955580)  Volume  ; 

8,  No.  3 published  bimonthly,  January,  March, 

May,  July,  September,  November,  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  a non-profit 
membership  organization  at  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106.  Subscription:  $7.50  — 

Single  Copy:  $1.50.  Second  class  postage  paid 
at  Philadelphia,  PA  19104. 

POSTMASTER:  Send  Form  No.  3579  to  THE 
GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 19106. 

©Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  1980 


in  this  issue 

3 The  Sale  of  Raraflora  1 1 : Inevitable  or 
Horticultural  Rape  by  Betsy  Shuman 

7 Solar  Greenhouses  by  Richard  Fredette  III 

1 1 A Healing  Potion  Wrapped  in  Green:  Aloe  vera 
by  Jan  Riemer 

13  Books  & the  Green  World:  Is  Gardening  Caught 
or  Taught?  by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 

16  A Mountain  in  My  House  by  Roxie  Gevjan 

20  The  1979  Wonder  Vegetable:  The  Sugar  Snap 
Pea  by  Jane  Pepper 

23  Where  Your  Gardening  Seeds  Come  From 
by  Amalie  Ascher 

26  Don't  Let  February  Forgetfulness  Foul  Your 
Flora  by  Ed  Lindemann 

27  Keeping  Rover  from  Roving  by  Barbara  D.  Brown 

29  February  is  Springtime  in  the  Fernery 
by  Marilyn  B.  Peterson 

32  Growing  Interests 

34  Letter 

35  Classified  Advertising 
Front 

Cover:  photo  by  Joan  Fredette 


Back  The  young  person  is  Pierre  Radebaugh. 

Cover:  photo  by  Patrick  Radebaugh 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


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The  Sale  of  Raraflora  II: 
Inevitable  or  Horticultural  Rape 


Corner  of  the  pool  landscaped 
with  azaleas,  and  Acer  palma- 
tum  'Scolopendrifolium.' 


by  Betsy  Shuman 


This  is  a personal  report  of  my  experiences  at  Rarafiora,  an  exceptional  nur- 
sery and  arboretum  in  Feasterville,  Pennsylvania.  Over  the  years  many  plant 
people-horticulturists,  landscape  architects,  nurserymen,  plant  pathologists 
and  members  of  botanical  research  institutions— have  been  involved  in  some 
way  with  Raraflora.  Their  impressions  and  opinions  probably  differ  from  mine. 


RARAFLORA I 
the  past 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of 
1978  I had  the  unique  and  somewhat 
privileged  experience  of  working  at 
Raraflora,  a privately  owned  nursery 
and  arboretum  of  rare  and  dwarf  plant 
material  (mostly  conifers)  in  Bucks 
County.  I say  privileged  because  from 
its  beginnings  in  the  late  1940s  until 
1976  the  only  people  who  worked 
there  were  its  owners  and  developers, 
Fred  and  Helene  Bergman,  and  their 
family.  They  did  everything  themselves. 
All  recontouring  and  terracing  of  the 
land  (a  30-acre  "spent"  farm),  drag- 
ging tons  of  stone  up  the  steep  hill 
from  the  creek,  landscaping,  propaga- 
tion, transplanting,  weeding,  you  name 


it.  Over  the  years  they  worked  hard  to 
create  a remarkably  beautiful,  unusual 
arboretum  of  rare  plant  material.  For 
many  years,  Raraflora  was  the  only 
place  where  you  could  find  certain 
plants.  People  from  all  over  the  world 
came  there. 

Raraflora  was  probably  the  first 
specialized  collection  of  dwarf  conifer 
material  of  its  magnitude— several  acres 
of  arboretum  and  more  nursery  beds, 
with  a greenhouse  for  extensive  propa- 
gation. The  Bergmans  were  pioneers  in 
the  field,  and  collected  plants  the  way 
some  people  collect  early  art  master- 
pieces. Because  of  the  age  of  the  collec- 
tion,most  of  the  material  was  mature, 
not  just  a few  years  old,  and  stored  in 
a 2-quart  container  in  a nursery  bed. 
To  wander  through  the  arboretum  was 

continued 


3 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


The  Sale  of  Raraflora  II  . continued 


photo  by  John  S.  Kistler 


View  up  the  hill  from  the  pool. 


photo  by  Betsy  Shuman 


A part  of  the  nursery  during  the  auction. 


definitely  a horticultural  thrill.  Around 
every  bend  there  was  something  special. 
That's  why  I decided  to  work  there. 

Though  I was  a neighbor  of  the 
Bergmans  for  many  years,  I did  not 
know  what  Raraflora  was.  The  Bergmans 
purposely  kept  an  exceptionally  low 
profile.  Visits  to  Raraflora  were  by 
appointment  only  which  were  hard  to 
get.  In  spite  of  our  proximity,  I did 
not  hear  about  it  until  I was  on  a PHS 
trip  to  the  National  Arboretum  in 
Washington,  in  the  early  summer  of 
1977.  We  went  to  visit  the  Bonsai  col- 
lection, and  the  Gotelli  dwarf  conifer 
collection.  One  of  the  men  involved 
with  the  Gotelli  collection  spoke  about 
Fred  Bergman  who  provided  plant 
material,  advice  and  consultation  for 
the  Gotelli  collection.  I was  surprised 
to  learn  that  Raraflora  land  bordered 
my  own  community. 

One  night  during  April  of  the  fol- 
lowing year,  Helene  Bergman  called 
me— out  of  the  blue.  I still  had  not  met 
them,  though  what  I learned  in  Wash- 
ington had  made  quite  an  impression. 

It  was  my  first  encounter  with  an 
extensive  dwarf  conifer  collection  of 
such  size  and  importance.  She  had  been 
given  my  name  by  a mutual  friend, 


The  pool,  looking  east.  Photo  taken  in  1979. 

who  is  an  excellent  horticulturist  and 
my  horticultural  mentor,  as  a person 
who  might  be  interested  in  working 
at  Raraflora.  Would  I come  talk  to  her? 

I will  never  forget  the  first  impres- 
sion I had  of  the  place.  After  a brief 
meeting  with  Mrs.  Bergman  she  invited 
me  in  to  wander  about  the  place  by 
myself  and  see  what  I thought.  It  was 
a rainy  morning,  grey  and  cold.  Some- 
times the  rain  would  change  to  mist; 
the  grey  day  intensified  the  blues  and 
greens  and  golds  of  the  plant  material. 

I was  thoroughly  amazed  and  over- 


whelmed at  the  wealth  of  plant  mate- 
rial, by  the  incredible  beauty  and 
variety,  not  only  of  the  specimens 
themselves,  but  with  the  artful  way 
they  were  associated  with  one  another. 
Their  arrangement  showed  real  genius, 
knowledge  of  the  individual  specimens 
and  how  they  grew  and  which  would 
enhance  another's  beauty— plant  associ- 
ations arranged  by  color,  texture,  form. 
I wandered  around  for  a long  time.  I 
wondered  if  Mrs.  Bergman  wondered 
why  I was  out  there  in  the  rain  so  long. 
It  was  hard  to  stop  looking.  And  as  I 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Cedrus  atlantica  'Glauca  Pendula'/s/cV  espaliered  against  the  southern  side  of  the  house. 


Members  of  Dickerson,  Inc.  auctioneers  at 
work  in  June. 


look  back  it's  not  that  so  many  indi- 
vidual specimens  stood  out  in  my  mind 
so  much  as  the  whole  collection.  What 
a marvel. 

Raraflora  had  another  quality  that's 
hard  to  describe.  People  who've  been 
there  have  talked  about  it  with  me  and 
experienced  something  of  it  too— there 
was  a real  mystery  about  the  place,  a 
kind  of  exotic,  unusual,  eerie  sense,  a 
strange  feeling  in  walking  around  there, 
intensified  by  the  grey  mist  of  that 
particular  day.  Must  have  been  all  that 
twisted,  contorted,  draped  and  hanging- 
over  plant  life. 

I started  working  a week  later.  Two 
days  a week— weeding  the  beds,  pulling 
out  honeysuckle,  chickweed  and  other 
undesirables,  and  spraying  insecticides 
and  herbicides.  The  work  was  at  times 
boring  and  arduous  (and  uncomfortable 


on  hot  days  when  I covered  myself  from 
head  to  foot  to  protect  myself  from 
poisonous  chemicals).  I rarely  saw 
another  person.  Sometimes  I half  ex- 
pected to  see  someone  hanging  around 
a corner,  behind  a tree,  in  the  potting 
shed— there  was  that  “sense"  again, 
very  distinct.  Sometimes  Mrs.  Bergman's 
doberman  pinscher  Hans  would  come 
racing  by.  He  was  a fierce  dog.  I'd 
know  he  was  coming  though  and  could 
prepare  myself,  so  I was  never  surprised 
by  him,  fortunately. 

Many  of  the  beds  were  planted  as  a 
showcase  for  one  genus,  so  I could 
study  many  species  of  a genus  while 
working,  and  examine  the  subtle  differ- 
ences between  them. 

I'd  eat  my  lunch  by  the  pool.  The 
pool  and  its  environs  are  a story  in 
themselves.  The  house  sat  on  the  crest 
of  a hill.  To  the  south  (and  back  of  the 
house)  was  a steep,  terraced  hillside. 
The  pool  was  nestled  at  the  bottom,  at 
the  edge  of  the  “cultivated  area." 
Beyond  was  a woodland  laced  with 
unused  bridle  paths  (the  Bergmans  had 
had  horses  too,  the  old  farmhouse  had 
been  renovated,  and  there  were  several 
barns  and  large  pasture  areas),  and  a 
creek  wound  its  way  through.  Some- 
times I wondered  what  was  more  beau- 
tiful, the  man-made  collection,  or  the 
natural  one. 

The  pool  wasn't  usable  by  the  time 
I started  working  at  Raraflora.  I have 
never  seen  a more  attractively  land- 
scaped one  though.  In  May  the  hillside 
was  ablaze  with  dogwood  and  azalea. 


Myriad  lacy,  delicate  Japanese  maples 
softened  the  hard  edges  of  the  concrete 
and  pebble  apron.  The  incoming  water 
spilled  over  a waterfall  into  the  pool. 
The  water  was  murky,  beautiful  green- 
sided frogs  lived  in  it,  tadpoles  grew  big- 
ger and  bigger;  their  numbers  dwindled. 
Rumor  had  it  that  there  was  a crusty 
old  snapper  at  the  bottom.  Snakes 
slithered  away  as  I came  to  the  edge.  I 
was  occasionally  afraid  I'd  fall  in,  or, 
before  I knew  him,  that  I'd  have  to 
jump  in  to  escape  from  Hans's  sharp 
white  teeth. 

Of  everything  that  grew  there  my 
favorites  became  the  Japanese  maples. 
(Japanese  Maples,  by  J.  Vertrees,  Tim- 
ber Press,  1978,  discusses  many  of 
these  beauties.)  I didn't  come  across 
them  right  away,  and  they  took  awhile 
to  capture  my  heart,  but  they  really 
grew  on  me.  These  were  one  of  Mr. 
Bergman's  special  interests.  Some  were 
incredibly  rare— one  or  two  of  which 
there  were  less  than  10  in  the  country. 
One  especially  I came  to  love,  an 
Acer  palmatum  'Toshiki  Shidare.’  I'd 
check  it  every  day.  It  was  in  a corner 
of  one  of  the  nursery  beds,  a "specialty" 
corner.  One  day  I noticed  it  was  gone. 
It  hadn't  been  sold  (it  wasn't  for  sale; 
it  was  the  only  one).  It  was  upsetting 
to  think  someone  had  actually  stolen 
it.  I found  it  about  two  weeks  later, 
under  a Norway  spruce  by  the  driveway, 
lying  on  its  side  (no  sun,  no  water). 
One  of  its  two  branches  was  dead,  the 
other  in  poor  shape.  Someone  hadn't 
gotten  it  quite  to  his  car.  Mrs.  Berg- 
man put  it  in  the  garage  and  was  able 
to  sustain  it.  Another  I wanted  for  my- 
self, Acer  palmatum  'Scolopendrii- 
folium'.  At  the  time  of  the  auction  I 
looked  for  it,  but  it  too  was  gone,  and 
I didn't  find  it. 

Many  specimens  were  perfect  candi- 
dates for  bonsai.  Diminutive  leaves, 
gnarled  roots  in  tiny  pots,  good  branch- 
ing structure.  As  with  other  species, 
one  could  see  immature  specimens  in 
the  nursery,  then  go  to  the  arboretum 
and  see  them  well-grown  and  mature. 
You'd  know  exactly  what  you  were 
getting. 

Another  popular  bonsai  item  was 
the  rough-bark  pine,  Pinus  thunbergi- 
ana  'Corticata'.  Because  the  bark  of  a 
relatively  young  tree  is  thick  and  rough, 

continued 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Tfx  Sale  of  Raraflora  II  . continued 


it  gives  the  impression  of  being  much 
older  than  it  is  in  years,  and  can  be 
kept  quite  neat  and  small.  These  little 
gems  were  highly  prized  and  brought 
high  prices. 

RARAFLORA  II 
the  present 

I 've  been  using  past  tense  to  describe 
Raraflora— as  if  it  had  been.  In  many 
ways  it  is  gone.  It  was  sold  in  July, 
1978.  A group  of  lawyers  made  the 
purchase.  It  was  unclear  to  me  what 
their  intentions  were— but  I was  hope- 
ful. The  Bergmans  hoped  to  sell  Rara- 
flora to  someone  who  would  "keep 
the  arboretum  collection  intact."  The 
new  owners  were  reported  to  be 
"plantsmen." 

It  was  a busy  fall— I didn't  hear 
much  about  Raraflora.  Mr.  Bergman 
had  died  and  Mrs.  Bergman  was  moving 
— I'd  go  by  and  see  the  gate  across  the 
long  lane  up  the  hill,  the  mail  box  was 
still  there— but  no  signs  of  activity. 

One  morning  in  April  1979  while 
sorting  through  Library  mail  I came 
across  an  announcement  "World- 
renowned  Raraflora— AUCTION."  The 
brochure  mentioned  Fred  Bergman 
and  referred  to  the  nursery.  I was  very 
surprised,  but  figured  that  just  the 
nursery  was  on  the  block.  How  could 
"plantsmen"  sell  the  whole  collection? 

A week  before  the  sale  in  early  June 
I saw  signs— RAR  AF  LOR  A II— pointing 
the  way  to  the  entrances.  The  night 
before  I stopped  and  spoke  to  one  of 
the  new  owners.  I asked  what  was  being 
sold,  and  he  said  emphatically  "Every- 
thing." Imagine  my  surprise,  disap- 
pointment. It  was  inconceivable  to  me 
that  anyone,  even  plant  haters  (is  there 
such  a creature?)  could  tear  apart  the 
collection.  But  the  next  morning  it 
started. 

I felt  very  strange  at  that  auction, 
possessive  of  the  plants  I had  worked 
so  closely  with.  The  auctioneers  were 
very  business-like  calling  out  a particu- 
lar specimen's  virtues.  Information  was 
given  to  them  by  a man  who  has 
known  the  Bergmans  well  for  many 
years  and  who  knew  all  the  plant 
material  (he  has  his  own  fine  nursery 
near  Doylestown).  Bidders  paid  royally 
for  a computer  catalog  of  the  plant 
material,  listing  over  7,000  specimens. 
The  horticulturist  who  compiled  it  did 
it  in  two  weeks'  time.  With  few  excep- 
tionsfor  groups  of  very  small  seedlings. 


each  plant  was  cataloged  separately. 

I spent  time  talking  to  people  I knew 
at  the  auction;  they  responded  variously 
about  the  drastic  change  that  was  tak- 
ing place.  One  landscape  designer 
friend  (who  was  there  with  her  partner 
bidding)  described  it  as  "a  horticultural 
rape."  I agreed.  An  older  man  was  more 
philosophical.  "Mr.  Bergman  has  died. 
It's  bound  to  change."  Too  complacent, 
I thought.  I wanted  to  find  out  what 
these  so-called  "plantsmen"  were  up 
to.  They  wouldn't  give  me  direct 
answers,  but  I found  out— a housing 
development.  Thirty-three  acres  of  land 


I wanted  to  find  out  what  these 
so-called  "plantsmen"  were  up  to. 
They  wouldn't  give  me  direct 
answers,  but  I found  out— a 
housing  development. 


and  as  many  houses  as  they  could 
squeeze  onto  it.  I was  shaking  by  then. 
I just  couldn't  believe  it.  HOUSES! 

The  auction  was  scheduled  for  two 
days.  It  went  four,  and  only  part  of 
the  place  had  been  covered.  "Contract 
diggers"  (so  their  tee-shirts  proclaimed) 
were  introduced  and  on  hand,  and  I 
understand  that  starting  after  the  end 
of  that  auction,  plants  started  moving 
(I  wasn't  around  to  watch).  People 
who  had  bought  smaller  specimens  in 
containers  from  the  nursery  took  them. 
(The  special  Tsuga  canadensis  cultivars 
that  I coveted  sold  for  $150-5250;  a 
mature  specimen  of  Pinus  parvifiora 
'Bergmani'  for  $13,000.) 

A second  auction  was  held  in  mid- 
November,  which  I understand  was 
poorly  attended.  It's  likely  there  will 
be  another  sale  in  spring  1980  to  sell 
the  remaining  plants  (about  40%). 

I have  talked  to  many  people  since 
the  auction.  Most  seem  to  think  it's  "a 
shame,"  but  "inevitable."  Naturally, 
when  a place  changes  hands  it  goes 
through  changes,  but  these  changes  are 
so  irreversible.  As  one  horticultural 
consultant  pointed  out,  many  of  the 
beds  had  been  planted  "temporarily" 
and  specimens  had  been  planted  in  pots 
—so  the  roots  were  girdled,  pots  broken 
to  bits  and  if  the  arboretum  were  to 
remain  intact,  these  problems  would 
have  had  to  be  corrected. 

The  rumor  is  that  the  Bergmans' 


house  and  garden  immediately  adjacent 
will  be  resold  as  a unit.  The  house  was  a 
marvel  too,  another  example  of  their 
skill  and  creativity.  It  was  built  com- 
pletely by  the  Bergmans,  from  its  slate 
roof,  to  the  iron  work  ornament  inside. 
Along  the  entire  south  side  grows  espal- 
iered  cedar,  cataloged  as  Cedrus  atlan- 
tica  'Glauca  Pendula.'  It  is  part  of 
the  house,  the  living  part  of  an  inert, 
immovable  mass.  It,  too,  is  cataloged 
and  so  theoretically  for  sale.  On  the 
front  lawn  is  a lily  pond. 

In  spite  of  the  philosophical  ration- 
ale, the  inevitable  shake  of  the  head,  I 
am  deeply  saddened  by  thisdevastation. 
Plants  growing  side  by  side  unearthed, 
roots  ripped  apart  and  moved  to  who 
knows  where,  into  what  growing  con- 
ditions (people  for  the  June  auction 
came  from  New  England  and  Texas; 
publicity  will  spread  the  news  of  up- 
coming auctions  even  farther).  Who 
can  predict  how  many  specimens  will 
survive?  The  risk  is  great,  and  large 
amounts  of  money  are  involved.  What 
if  the  plant  dies?  Many  are  irreplace- 
able, one  of  a kind.  Even  the  best 
contract  digger  can  fail.  An  old,  experi- 
enced nurseryman  told  me  a story 
once  of  having  moved  a Tsuga  cana- 
densis 'Sargenti'  to  his  property.  It  was 
about  25  years  old,  5-6  ft.  high,  10  ft. 
in  circumference.  A magnificent  thing. 
Great  care  was  taken  in  moving  it.  But 
it  began  to  fail,  and  it  died.  It  had 
been  planted  an  inch  too  deep,  and  it 
suffocated. 

To  my  mind  there's  an  ethical  con- 
sideration here.  Do  we  really  need 
more  houses?  Isn't  it  important  to  pre- 
serve something  that  is  great  and  beau- 
tiful? What  about  the  oriental  practice 
of  honoring  living  things,  plants  and 
people,  that  are  treasures? 

It  is  ironic,  too,  that  this  is  what 
has  happened  to  a place  that  was  care- 
fully underplayed  and  guarded  for 
many  years,  and  inaccessible  to  most. 
During  the  auction  the  place  was  full 
of  cars,  swarming  with  people.  I think 
the  Bergmans  would  have  been  out- 
raged. One  of  the  Bergmans'  daughters 
was  there.  I wondered  what  she  was 
thinking. 

Betsy  Shuman  was  assistant  librarian  at  PHS 
until  November,  1979.  She  has  an  associate 
degree  in  horticulture  from  Temple  Uni- 
versity, Ambler  Campus. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


photo  by  Richard  Fredette  III 


Interior  of  suburban  solarium/greenhouse.  Note  60°  angle  on  southeast  wall  and  vertical 
glazing  on  southwest  wall.  Brick  floor  for  heat  storage.  Anna  Piranian  visits  the  greenhouse. 


SOLAR  GREENHOUSES 

An  energy  sensitive  public  is  beginning  to  discover  that  a properly  designed  green- 
house in  the  Philadelphia  area  can  get  most  of  its  light  and  heat  requirements  from 
the  sun  alone.  If  it  happens  to  be  an  attached  greenhouse , it  can  also  supply  the 
rest  of  your  home  with  a significant  amount  of  heat.  The  trick  is  to  collect  the 
sun 's  energy  when  you  want  it.  keep  it  inside  and  store  any  excess  heat  until  you 
need  it  at  night  or  during  cloudy  periods.  The  design  and  construction  principles 
that  set  the  solar  greenhouse  apart  from  the  conventional  greenhouse  are  fairly 
simple  but  they  must  be  carefully  considered  and  fused  together  to  produce  an 
energy  efficient  space  for  raising  and  enjoying  plants. 


by  Richard  C.  Fredette,  III 

Last  winter  I received  a call  from  a 
woman  whose  husband  had  promised 
her  a greenhouse  as  a present.  She  was 
consulting  with  various  manufacturers 
trying  to  decide  which  model  to  buy 
when  fuel  costs  took  another  upward 
leap.  She  asked  several  companies 
about  solar  greenhouses  but  was  told 
"solar  greenhouses  don't  work  around 
here."  A mutual  friend  brought  us 
together  and  we  sat  down  to  talk  about 
greenhouses,  solar  and  otherwise. 

One  of  the  things  I have  noticed 
about  greenhouses  that  struck  me  as 
paradoxical  is  that  you  can  go  into  one 
to  water  in  the  winter  and  the  vents 
are  wide  open.  Before  you  finish,  the 
vents  are  closed  tight  and  the  heaters 
are  going  full  blast.  In  the  summer  the 
greenhouse  is  like  the  desert  in  a dirty 
aluminum  frame,  nearly  unusable. 

My  own  view  is  that  a solar  green- 
house, especially  an  attached  one, 
should  be  more  than  just  a greenhouse. 
It  should  be  a vital  area,  usable  on  a 
year-round  basis,  inviting  you  to  come 
and  sit,  work  or  relax,  providing  you 
with  a growing  environment  and  a 
source  of  warmth  for  your  home. 

By  following  certain  design  and  con- 
struction principles  it  is  possible  to  pro- 
duce a greenhouse  that  will  collect  the 
sun's  energy,  keep  it  inside,  and  store 
the  excess  until  it  is  needed. 

I usually  approach  the  design  pro- 
cess with  a "solarium  greenhouse"  con- 
cept, and  I tend  to  use  materials  associ- 
ated with  quality  construction:  cedar, 
redwood,  brick,  slate,  and  of  course, 
lots  of  large  glass.  Sitting  areas  and 
fountains  are  usually  integral  to  the 
interior  space,  and  sometimes  a solid 
east  or  west  wall  is  opened  up  to  frame 
a vista.  Any  innovative  designer  should 
be  able  to  blend  the  fundamental  con- 
cepts of  passive  solar  energy  and 
dynamic  architecture. 

The  sections  below  will  develop  the 
basic  design  and  construction  principles 
and  then  describe  two  solarium  green- 
houses that  represent  solutions  to  very 
different  situations. 

planning 

Orientation  on  the  Site.  The  solar 
greenhouse  should  have  its  long  axis 
running  east-west  so  that  the  longest 
side  of  the  building  can  be  glazed  and 
presented  to  the  south.  This  allows  the 
maximum  solar  gain  when  the  sun  is  at 

continued 


7 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


8 


Upper  left,  city  rooftop  solar 
greenhouse. 


Above,  interior  of  city  solargreen- 
house.  Note  water  storage  contain- 
ers used  for  plant  stands. 


Lower  left,  suburban  attached 
solarium/greenhouse;  view  from 
the  south. 


its  highest  position  at  midday.  Moving 
1 5°  to  20"  east  or  west  of  true  south 
will  only  decrease  the  amount  of  sun 
coming  into  the  greenhouse  by  about 
five  percent,  so  there  is  a good  deal  of 
flexibility  for  individual  site  consider- 
ations. 

Glazing  Angles  for  the  South  Wall. 

Most  of  the  light  striking  glass  at  a per- 
pendicular angle  passes  through,  while 
light  striking  at  an  oblique  angle  is 
mostly  reflected.  Coupling  this  with 
the  fact  that  the  sun  is  much  lower  in 
the  sky  during  the  winter  than  it  is  dur- 
ing the  summer  allows  us  to  choose 
the  optimum  angles  for  greenhouse 
glazing.  Figure  1 shows  the  amount  of 
sunlight  falling  upon  surfaces  at  differ- 
ent angles  for  the  Philadelphia  latitude 
of  40°  north.  In  January  more  light 


strikes  a vertical  (90)  wall  than  a shal- 
low (30°)  roof,  and  almost  as  much  as 
strikes  a sharply  angled  (60°)  wall.  In 
July  the  30"  surface  allows  in  more 
than  three  times  as  much  light  as  does 
the  90"  surface,  while  the  60c  plane 
falls  in  between.  From  this  we  can  see 
that  a 90°  glass  wall  admits  light  dur- 
ing the  winter  when  it  is  needed  and 
keeps  it  out  during  the  hot  summer 
months.  The  60"  wall  provides  a more 
optimum  winter  surface  here  in  Phila- 
delphia, but  it  does  allow  the  sun  to 
penetrate  in  the  summer.  The  30°  roof, 
which  is  common  on  many  traditional 
greenhouses,  is  a poor  performer  over 
both  seasons,  reflecting  more  sun  dur- 
ing the  winter  and  letting  it  in  during 
the  summer.  The  latitude  plus  20" 
is  a good  guide  for  selecting  a glazing 


angle;  specific  site  considerations  may 
require  some  adjustments.  I often  use 
two  glazing  angles  in  the  south  wall, 
90°  and  60°,  as  shown  in  Figure  2. 

The  Roof.  In  a freestanding  green- 
house the  north  roof  should  be  opaque 
and  well  insulated.  The  sun  never  enters 
the  northern  sky  in  the  winter  and  glaz- 
ing here  will  only  serve  as  a tremendous 
source  of  heat  loss.  In  an  attached 
greenhouse  that  portion  of  the  roof 
nearest  the  house  should  be  opaque 
and  insulated  to  prevent  the  summer 
sun  from  penetrating  to  the  rear  of  the 
greenhouse.  That  will  help  to  prevent 
the  terrible  overheating  conditions 
which  plague  conventional  greenhouses 
and  subsequently  make  them  so  diffi- 
cult to  use  and  enjoy  in  the  summer. 
The  roof  should  also  contain  vents 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Glazing 

Angle 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May 

June 

July 

Aug. 

T ypical 
Flat  Roof 
Greenhouse 

30° 

2210 

1962 

1636 

1480 

1660 

2060 

2308 

2412 

2442 

2434 

2409 

2384 

Sharply 
Angled  Wall 

60° 

2074 

2074 

1908 

1796 

1944 

2176 

2174 

1956 

1760 

1670 

1728 

1894 

Vertical 

Wall 

90° 

1416 

1654 

1686 

1646 

1726 

1730 

1484 

1022 

724 

610 

702 

978 

Source:  ASHRAE,  Handbook  and  Product  Directory,  1974  Applications 

Figure  1 

This  chart  compares  the  amount  of  sunshine  (measured  in  BTUs  — represented  by  numbers  in  boxes)  that  strikes  a square  foot 

of  glass  at  three  angles  in  Philadelphia  on  a clear  day. 

The  BTU  or  British  Thermal  Unit  is  a measure  of  heat:  it  is  the  amount  of  heat  needed  to  raise  one  pound  of  water  one  degree 
F.  The  heat  content  of  fuels  can  be  expressed  in  BTUs,  as  can  the  heat  losses  from  a building.  Solar  energy  (sunlight)  is  measured 
in  BTUs  per  square  foot  per  hour. 


Opening  Window  for 
Summer  Venting 


90"  angle 


nsulation 


Figure  2 

Attached  Solar  Greenhouse  — Section  View 


that  can  be  opened  during  these  sum- 
mer months  to  allow  hot  air  to  escape. 

East,  West,  and  North  Walls.  All 
of  these  walls  should  be  well  insulated 
and  free  of  any  glazing.  If  the  green- 
house is  oriented  more  than  20°  east 
of  south,  glazing  on  the  west  wall 
might  be  a consideration.  Of  course, 
the  opposite  would  be  true  for  a build- 
ing to  the  west  of  south.  All  interior 
walls  and  ceilings  should  be  painted  a 
light  color  to  reflect  sunlight  onto  the 
plants  from  all  directions.  Any  outside 
entry  should  be  sheltered  from  the 
wind  and  include  a mud  room  or  vesti- 
bule to  cut  down  on  heat  loss. 

Preventing  Heat  Loss— Insulation. 
Heat  is  lost  from  a greenhouse  in  four 
areas:  the  glazing,  the  opaque  walls 
and  roof,  the  floors  and  foundation, 


and  the  cracks  around  all  openings. 
Each  of  these  must  be  carefully  con- 
sidered if  a solar  greenhouse  is  to  per- 
form well.  All  glazing  material,  glass  or 
plastic,  should  be  insulated  (two  sheets 
of  glazing  separated  by  a dead  air  space; 
e.g.,  one  piece  of  3/16  in.  glass  separ- 
ated by  1 /4  in.  air  and  another  3/16  in. 
glass).  This  will  cut  heat  losses  through 
the  glazed  areas  by  more  than  50%. 
The  walls  and  roof  should  be  well  insu- 
lated; I use  6 in.  of  fiberglass  with  a 
vapor  barrier  on  the  inside.  The  losses 
through  the  floor  and  foundation  are 
seldom  thought  of  in  a conventional 
greenhouse,  but  they  are  a steady  heat 
drain.  A 2-in.  layer  of  waterproof  poly- 
styrene insulation,  such  as  styrofoam, 
applied  to  the  outside  of  the  founda- 
tion walls  and  extending  down  below 


the  frost  line,  is  an  excellent  way  to 
greatly  reduce  floor  and  foundation 
heat  loss.  Careful  caulking  and  weather- 
stripping around  all  glazing  units  and 
openings  is  a must. 

Many  solar  greenhouses  also  contain 
some  form  of  movable  insulation  that 
is  placed  on  the  glazed  areas  during 
the  night  hours.  This  can  be  poly- 
styrene panels  that  are  put  up  by  hand, 
an  insulated  quilt  or  blanket  that  is 
rolled  into  place,  or  a set  of  shutters 
that  are  closed  up  at  night.  Some  sys- 
tems are  even  automated  and  triggered 
by  a photosensor.  Since  any  of  these 
systems  must  be  tightly  fitted  and 
installed,  they  require  careful  detailing 
and  construction;  the  cost  can  range 
from  $4  to  $10  per  sq.  ft.  of  glazing. 
While  useful  in  reducing  heat  loss,  I am 
not  convinced  that  they  are  cost  effec- 
tive at  this  time  in  the  Philadelphia 
area,  and  several  of  the  solar  green- 
houses that  I have  designed  and  built 
function  well  without  them. 

Heat  Storage.  Different  materials 
absorb  different  amounts  of  heat  while 
undergoing  the  same  temperature  rise. 
Conventional  greenhouses  overheat 
because  the  air  in  them  only  requires 
0.018  BTU  to  increase  each  cubic  foot 
by  one  degree.  By  contrast,  a cubic 
foot  of  brick  or  stone  needs  about  21 
BTUs  to  gain  one  degree  and  a cubic 
foot  of  water  more  than  62  BTUs.  Plac- 
ing brick,  stone  or  water  in  the  solar 
greenhouse  will  lower  the  peak  temper- 
ature as  they  will  absorb  a great  deal 
of  heat  that  usually  warms  the  air.  A 
55-gallon  drum  of  water  might  increase 
in  temperature  by  1 5°  over  the  course 
of  a day,  storing  6800  BTUs  of  energy. 

continued 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


J.  BLAINE  BONHAM  SOLARIUM/GREENHOUSE 


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In  the  evening  the  lack  of  sunlight  will 
cause  the  air  temperature  to  drop;  as 
soon  as  the  air  is  cooler  than  the  drum 
of  water,  the  heat  will  be  radiated  back 
into  the  air.  This  warmth  will  prevent 
the  temperature  from  dropping  as  low 
as  it  otherwise  would.  By  placing 
enough  heat  storing  materials  such  as 
brick  or  water  in  the  greenhouse,  the 
upper  and  lower  extremes  of  the  daily 
temperature  swing  can  be  eliminated. 
These  materials  can  serve  as  bench  sup- 
ports (water  drums)  or  floor  materials 
(brick  or  slate)  and  will  not  necessarily 
encroach  on  valuable  space.  All  heat 
storage  materials  should  be  placed 
where  they  will  receive  direct  sunlight, 
and  drums  or  similar  containers  should 
be  painted  black,  dark  blue,  or  green 
for  maximum  heat  absorption.  Back-up 
heat  for  extreme  cold  can  be  provided 
by  electric  baseboard  units. 

Attached  Greenhouse  Connections. 
One  ideal  connection  for  a solar  green- 
house and  a house  is  to  have  the  wall 
between  them  constructed  of  masonry 
such  as  brick,  stone,  or  cinder  block. 
The  wall  stores  heat  and  delivers  it  to 
both  the  greenhouse  and  the  house. 
Windows  and  doors  in  any  connecting 
wall  can  also  be  opened  to  allow  warm 
air  from  the  greenhouse  to  move  into 
the  living  areas  during  the  day;  the 
flow  can  be  reversed  in  the  evening  to 
prevent  the  greenhouse  temperature 
from  going  too  low.  Fans  can  also  be 
used  to  remove  heat  rapidly  or  to  move 
heat  downward  or  over  a long  distance. 

City  and  Suburb.  A look  at  two 
recently  completed  solarium/green- 
houses in  very  different  locations  will 
illustrate  how  the  basic  solar  heating 
principles  can  be  applied.  The  solarium/ 
greenhouse  for  J.  Blaine  Bonham,  Jr.  is 
located  on  his  rowhouse  in  the  Queen 
Village  area  of  central  Philadelphia.  I 
say  "on”  because  it  actually  is  a third 
floor  addition  to  his  two-story  home, 
opening  up  onto  a rooftop  deck  and 
garden.  Built  in  a New  England  salt 


box  style,  16  ft.  by  20  ft.,  the  walls 
and  roof  are  heavily  insulated  except 
for  the  south  side.  Here  two  sets  of 
patio  doors  allow  access  onto  the  deck. 
Above  them  are  four  more  patio  door- 
sized glazing  units  at  a 55°  angle.  All 
of  the  glass  is  insulated;  in  the  summer 
the  sloped  glass  is  covered  with  bamboo 
to  help  keep  the  interior  comfortable. 
Heat  is  stored  in  a 300-gallon  tank  of 
water  that  separates  the  stairs  from  the 
room  and  also  serves  as  a bench  sup- 
port. Six  35-gallon  drums  of  water 
located  around  the  room  complete  the 
storage  and  also  hold  plants.  A small 
fan  and  duct  system  pumps  warm  air 
down  to  the  second  floor  when  the 
solarium/greenhouse  temperature  goes 
above  80° F.  The  solarium/greenhouse 
was  monitored  last  March  for  three 
weeks  and  the  results  were  most 
encouraging:  the  outside  low  during 
the  monitoring  period  was  21  F while 
the  corresponding  room  temperature 
was  63°F.  (See  Figure  3 for  a 24-hour 
variation  in  temperature.) 

Currently  in  the  middle  of  its  first 
winter  is  Alfred  and  Magdalena  Piran- 
ian's  solarium/greenhouse  addition  in 
suburban  Oreland,  Pa.  Measuring  1 1 ft. 
by  23  ft.  it  is  attached  to  the  kitchen- 
breakfast  area  of  their  home  and  faces 
about  25°  east  of  south.  For  this  reason 
the  western-most  wall  features  a patio 
door  unit,  which  allows  the  afternoon 
winter  sun  inside.  The  room  itself  is 
built  on  two  levels,  connected  by  a set 
of  three  brick  steps.  The  floors  are 
brick  and  all  of  the  glazing  framing 
and  interior  trim  is  cedar.  Because  the 
foundation  is  well  insulated  the  brick 
floors  serve  as  part  of  the  heat  storage 
component;  drums  of  water  acting  as 
plant  stands  supplement  it.  The  south 
wall  consists  of  large  (34  in.  x 76  in.) 
insulated  glass  units  set  at  a 60°  angle 
above  opening  awning  windows.  These 
windows  extend  to  the  floor  on  both 
levels,  conveying  a dramatic  interior 
concept  to  the  outside.  One  glazing 


panel  was  set  into  the  opaque  roof  to 
ensure  that  the  kitchen  did  not  become 
gloomy  when  the  new  room  and  roof 
were  added.  This  panel  frames  a large 
pine  overhead  that  can  be  seen  from  a 
seat  at  the  small  table  on  the  upper 
level.  From  here  you  can  also  look  over 
the  fountain  and  into  the  working  area 
on  the  lower  level.  Initially , the  owners 
were  distressed  to  learn  that  it  was 
necessary  to  remove  several  large  pines 
to  the  southeast.  However,  after  com- 
pletion, they  were  delighted  with  the 
new  view.  The  solarium  is  being  moni- 
tored this  winter  and  the  results  will 
be  used  to  determine  the  best  way  to 
to  remove  valuable  excess  heat  and  re- 
cycle it  into  the  normally  cool  basement 
This  process  of  monitoring  and  then 
fine  tuning  the  connection  between  a 
solarium/greenhouse  and  a home  is  an 
important  part  of  the  final  package.  It 
helps  to  ensure  that  a solar  greenhouse 
really  is  solar  heated.  It  also  enables 
the  designer  and  the  owner  to  continue 
to  explore  the  most  effective  means  of 
providing  heat  to  other  parts  of  the 
house.  This  solar  energy  enthusiast  be- 
lieves that  more  such  imaginative 
approaches  to  integrating  energy  effici- 
ency and  horticulture  are  essential  in 
the  future. 

Suggested  Reading 

Bruce  Anderson,  The  Solar  Home  Book, 
Cheshire  Books,  Harrisville,  N.H.,  1976. 
James  C.  McCullagh,  The  Solar  Greenhouse 
Book,  Rodale  Press,  Emmaus,  Pa.,  1978. 
W.  F . and  Susan  Vanda,  An  A ttached  Solar 
Greenhouse,  The  Lightning  Tree,  Santa 
Fe,  N.M.,  1976. 

Rick  Fredette  has  an  M.S.  in  Environmental 
Science  and  Solar  Design.  Formerly  PHS 
educational  coordinator,  he  now  teaches  in 
the  School  District  of  Philadelphia,  lectures 
extensively,  and  operates  his  own  solar  firm. 
Solstice  Design  and  Building  Company.  He 
recently  delivered  a paper  on  the  Bonham 
solarium/greenhouse  at  the  4th  National 
Passive  Solar  Conference  in  Kansas  City. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


by  Jan  Riemer 


Folklore  dating  back  some  4,000 
years  proclaims  the  juices  from  the  aloe 
plant  to  be  a natural  remedy  for  many 
external  and  internal  maladies  and  an 
elixir  for  youthful  complexions. 

The  gel-like  substance  was  used  ex- 
tensively by  Caesar's  Roman  Legions, 
and  Alexander  the  Great's  soldiers  to 
help  relieve  skin  irritations  and  discom- 
forts, while  ancient  inscriptions  of  aloe 
plants  have  been  found  on  the  walls  in 
the  royal  tombs  of  kings. 

Herb  aloes  were  among  mankind's 
first  commerce  carried  by  caravans 
across  the  Arabian  desert  to  be  traded 
for  the  spicesof  India.  Spanish  mission- 
aries are  mostly  responsible  for  intro- 
ducing the  aloe  plants  to  this  country, 
and  now  over  40  centuries  later,  a 
revived  interest  in  the  aloe  is  gaining 
recognition. 

Those  grown  in  warm  or  tropical 
climates  may  reach  a height  of  20  ft. 
and  produce  colorful  displays  of  red, 
yellow,  orange  or  greenish-white  spikes 
while  the  aloes  used  as  house  plants 
rarely  flower. 

The  aloe  family,  a perennial  herb 
belonging  to  the  Lily  genus,  boasts 
about  170  species.  Aloe  vera,  also 
known  as  the  true  aloe,  bitter  aloe, 
Barbadoes  aloe,  A.  barbadenis  and  the 
medicine  plant  is  the  one  most  com- 
monly used  as  a house  plant  receiving 
considerable  attention  from  physicians 
and  laymen. 

The  thick,  leathery  straplike  green 
leaves,  dotted  with  specks  of  white 
when  young,  grow  to  a length  of  6 to 
24  in.  forming  a rosette  similar  to  the 
century  plant.  The  edges  of  the  leaves 
have  unharmful  serrated,  toothy  mar- 
gins. The  medicinal  juices  within  this 
fleshy  growth  can  be  extracted  by  cut- 
ting the  leaf.  The  gel  is  a substance 
called  aloin  (barbaloin)  and  is  most 
often  used  in  its  pure  form  as  a healing 
agent.  It  is  also  mixed  with  other  prepa- 
rations for  cosmetic  purposes,  while 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


A Healing  Potion 
Wrapped  in  Green : 

Aloe  vera 

"Nicodemus,  also,  who  had  first  come  to  him  by  night,  came 
bringing  a mixture  of  myrrh  and  aloes. " John  1 9 :39 


\ 


photo  by  Dr.  A.  B.  Graf 


A Healing  Potion 


Aloe  vera 

juices  taken  for  internal  problems  are 
mostly  diluted. 

The  natural  juices  have  been  used 
externally  to  clear  up  poison  ivy,  re- 
lieve insect  bites,  acne,  psorias,  itching, 
eczema,  erysipelas,  ringworm,  athlete's 
foot,  boils,  abscesses,  corns,  calluses, 
cuts,  wounds,  diaper  or  heat  rash,  aller- 
gies, scars,  gingivitis,  general  burns, 
sunburn,  sunblisters,  x-ray  burns  and 
problems  caused  by  protozoa.  It  is  also 
rubbed  on  inflamed  joints  for  rheuma- 
tism relief,  into  the  hair  for  scalp  prob- 
lems, and  on  the  face  for  wrinkles. 

Although  I have  used  the  gel  with 
fantastic  results  on  burns,  chapped  lips 
and  minor  skin  irritations,  I would  hesi- 
tate to  take  it  internally  without  pro- 
fessional guidance.  Under  proper  super- 
vision it  has  been  prescribed  in  combi- 
nation with  other  properties  for  dysen- 
tery, stomach  ulcers,  liver  toxicity, 
constipation,  kidney,  spleen,  colon 
and  bladder  problems,  and  as  a general 
cathartic  to  cleanse  the  stomach. 


One  cosmetic  company  has  over 
1 00,000  Aloe  vera  plants  growing  on  a 
Texas  plantation.  After  the  gel  is  ex- 
tracted and  combined  with  their  own 
formulas  the  cosmetics  are  packaged 
into  cleansers,  fresheners,  facial  masques, 
shampoos,  eye  gels,  cream  fragrances, 
moisturizers,  hand  and  body  lotions, 
night  creams,  lip  creams,  hair  condi- 
tioners and  ointments. 

It's  generally  accepted,  however, 
that  when  used  externally,  the  natural 
gel  is  more  effective  so  why  not  raise 
your  own  Aloe  vera  plants  to  use  medi- 
cinally, cosmetically  and  to  enhance 
your  indoor  garden. 

The  potted  aloes  require  very  little 
attention  and  will  thrive  in  poor  soil 
for  years  without  repotting.  When  re- 
potting the  small  rooted  suckers  that 
develop  around  the  base  of  the  mother 
plant,  fill  the  bottom  of  the  clay  pot 
with  a thick  layer  of  gravel  type  mate- 
rial for  drainage,  then  add  a mixture  of 
two  parts  loam  and  one  part  sand,  and 


a dash  of  lime  for  good  measure.  Exert 
care  to  plant  the  new  shoots  no  deeper 
than  they  grew  originally.  Water  spar- 
ingly and  avoid  fertilizing  new  potted 
plants  the  first  year.  Established  Aloe 
vera  should  be  fertilized  once  each  fall 
with  a standard  house  plant  fertilizer 


One  cosmetic  company  has  over 
1 00,000  Aloe  vera  plants  growing 
on  a Texas  plantation. 


that  has  been  diluted  to  half  the  mini- 
mum strength  recommended  on  the 
label. 

Some  experts  claim  the  plant  should 
receive  four  or  more  hours  of  direct  sun. 
Others  insist  on  bright,  indirect  light. 
My  own  experience  has  proven  that 
direct  sun  has  no  harmful  effects  dur- 
ing the  winter  months,  but  full  or  even 
partially  direct  summer  sun  will  darken 
or  scorch  Aloe  vera  plants.  Overwater- 
ing, high  humidity  and  too  much  nitro- 
gen is  even  more  disastrous  causing  the 
leaves  to  yellow  and  the  roots  to  rot. 
When  the  soil  becomes  very  dry  or  the 
leaves  begin  to  shrivel,  it's  time  for  a 
thorough  watering.  Night  temperatures, 
ideally,  should  range  between  50°  and 
55  , while  day  temperatures  may  range 
between  68  and  72°.  Avoid  any 
temperatures  that  drop  below  50°. 

Perhaps,  in  this  age  of  progress  that's 
running  rampant  with  physical  side 
effects  from  chemicals,  nuclear  leaks 
and  general  pollution,  we  might  borrow 
the  natural  way  of  life  from  kings, 
women  of  ancient  Greece,  of  Madam 
Pompadour's  France,  of  Leonardo  da 
Vinci's  Italy  and  share  in  all  the  won- 
ders from  the  gel  of  Aloe  vera. 

• 

Jan  Riemer  has  an  insatiable  curiosity  about 
herbal  remedies. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Pierre,  who  is  three  years  old, 
grows  beans  in  his  sandbox,  has 
his  own  private  mint  patch  and 
can  name  every  vegetable  in  the 
family  garden.  At  PHS's  plant 
giveaway  in  September,  Pierre 
and  Emily  Read  Cheston,  who 
has  been  a member  since  1935, 
spent  time  in  the  headquarters' 
garden  discussing  the  spines  on 
cactus.  Pierre  is  definitely  "grow- 
ing up  green,"  a wonderful 
phrase  used  for  the  title  of  a 
book  by  Alice  Skelsey  and  Gloria 
Huckaby . 


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by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 


Is  Gardening  Caught  orTaught? 

The  author  discusses  some  contagious  children 's  books. 


There  she  stood,  25  years  old,  sound 
of  mind  and  limb,  waving  her  trowel 
and  singing  like  a four-year-old  "I 
planted  it,  I watered  it,  carrots  grow 
from  carrot  seeds." 

As  a visiting  and  admiring  mother,  I 
was  being  serenaded  with  a piece  of 
my  children's  past,  absorbed  from  infi- 
nite revolutions  of  a record  based  on 
Ruth  Krauss's  book  The  Carrot  Seed. 
My  grown-up  daughter  Margery  had 
raised  a difficult  plant  from  seed— not 
a carrot,  but  no  matter.  The  Carrot 
Seed  had  long  ago  become  part  of  the 
shorthand  of  a family  that  shares  books. 
My  children  were  brought  up  with 
Peter  Rabbit  in  Mr.  McGreggor's  gar- 
den, they  slipped  through  the  ivy  door 
with  Mistress  Mary  and  Dickon  to  reach 
The  Secret  Garden  and  they  practically 
destroyed  a little  book  I had  as  a child. 
Flower  Children.  This  now  battered 
book  written  by  Elizabeth  Gordon 
appealed  because  it  turned  flowers 


into  fetching  children.  When  I was  little, 
it  inspired  the  maiming  and  dismember- 
ing of  endless  hollyhocks  as  I tried  to 
recreate  "Stately  Lady  Hollyhock" 
who  "In  a lovely  colored  frock,  taught 
her  children  every  day  precisely  what 
to  do  and  say."  Flower  Children  dished 
out  equal  portions  of  botany  and  mor- 
als, both  in  rather  vague  terms: 
"Nighshade  has  a purple  berry, 

But  he  is  very  naughty,  very; 

Little  children  never  should 
Play  with  one  who  isn't  good." 
Flower  Children,  The  Carrot  Seed 
and  The  Secret  Garden  have  one  thing 
in  common : they  help  children  to  learn 
to  see.  Generations  of  gardeners  have 
used  books  to  introduce  children  to 
the  natural  world.  Nineteenth  century 
children  were  meant  to  open  their  eyes 
after  reading  Mrs.  William  Starr  Dana's 
Plants  and  Their  Children,  1896.  She 
didn't  mince  words: 

"If  when  we  are  young  we  let  our 


eyes  form  bad  habits,  such  as  not  seeing 
the  things  they  ought  to  see,  we  are 
likely  to  be  half  blind  all  the  rest  of  our 
lives."  That  should  scare  the  little  ras- 
cals into  counting  sepals  and  petals!  As 
all  parents,  grandparents  and  teachers 
know,  there  are  better  ways  to  spread 
the  message. 

The  most  obvious  way  to  make  gar- 
dening contagious  is  to  share  your  own 
enthusiasm  and  experience  of  the  out- 
of-doors.  One  book  that  helps  parents 
do  this  is  Growing  Up  Green  by  Alice 
Skelsey  and  Gloria  Huckaby.  These 
authors  take  the  weight  of  the  moral- 
istic message  off  the  children  and  lay  it 
on  the  parents:  ",  . . don't  involve  your 
child  in  gardening  with  the  idea  that  it 
will  be  'good'  for  him— that  he  will  learn 
'responsibility'  by  tending  his  own 
plants.  About  as  big  a deal  as  you 
should  make  of  a child's  responsibilities 
to  plants  is  to  ask  him  if  he  has  watered 
the  plant— while  you  are  on  the  way  to 

continued 


13 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


books  and  the  green  world 


Is  Gardening  Caught?  continued 


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“One  by  one  the  pumpkins  were  lit,  placed  upon  their  boats,  and  set 
adrift  in  the  current.  Some  of  the  boats  tipped  and  sank  under  the 
weight  of  their  passengers.  But  soon  there  was  a long  string  of  boats 
floating  off  into  the  gathering  darkness,  their  glowing  passengers  star- 
ing back  in  silent  farewell.” 


water  it  yourself.”  Skelsey  and  Huck- 
aby  direct  this  book  toward  parents 
and  teachers,  although  much  of  the 
text  could  be  enjoyed  by  a 1 0 or  1 2 
year  old.  The  nightshade  of  my  Flower 
Children  is  introduced  not  as  "He  is 
very  naughty,  very"  but  as  a poisonous 
plant  having  some  delicious  cousins— 
tomatoes,  peppers  and  eggplants.  I was 
particularly  challenged  by  the  authors' 
philosophy  of  the  celebration  of  A 
Beautiful  Day.  We  have  been  taught  to 
save  for  a rainy  day:  they  urge  saving 
for  a sunny  day  even  when  it  means 
kids  miss  school  and  parents  miss  work. 
"Employers  may  not  demonstrate  a 
whole  lot  of  enthusiasm  for  this  custom, 
but  exposure  to  the  idea  might  be  a 
good  thing  for  all  of  us."  The  Beautiful 
Day  idea  will  generate  some  controversy 
in  your  family,  if  only  in  deciding  how 
it  should  be  spent  or  what  qualifies  as 
a Beautiful  Day. 

I know  a family  that  celebrates  the 
Beautiful  Night— more  specifically  the 
summer  solstice.  All  through  the  spring 


garden  clean-up,  they  collect  brush  in 
an  open  field  for  a ceremonial  fire  on 
June  21st.  Kidsare  encouraged  to  dress 
for  the  occasion,  preferably  in  some- 
thing long  and  white  (the  finale  for 
several  graduation  dresses).  The  fire  is 
lit  by  moonlight  and  onto  the  pile  go 
the  season's  first  day-lily  blossoms  and 
fragrant  thinnings  from  the  herb  garden. 
Some  mid-summer's  nights  end  in 
listening  to  fairy  tales  by  moonlight 
under  a grove  of  beech  trees.  This  all 
sounds  slightly  medieval  for  my  family 
but  we  did  have  great  fun  sleeping  out 
in  August  around  the  twelfth  to  watch, 
on  our  backs,  the  shower  of  Persids. 
This  had  special  glamour  for  my  kids 
as  the  shooting  stars  were  usually  easi- 
est to  see  after  midnight.  A book  that 
encourages  such  celebrations  is  The 
Reasons  for  Seasons  by  Linda  Allison. 
Sub-titled  "The  Great  Megagalactic 
T rip  without  Moving  from  Your  Chair," 
it  is  full  of  projects  and  ideas  that  ex- 
plain the  seasons  through  good  line 
drawings  and  a well-spaced  text.  It's 


written  for  the  10-14  year  group  and 
the  projects  it  generates  won't  require 
elaborate  props:  "Most  everything  in 
this  book  can  be  done  by  anybody, 
anyplace,  with  whatever  stuff  is  around 
the  house.  Sometimes  you  might  have 
to  make  a special  trip  to  the  dime  store 
or  hardware  store  or  supermarket."  The 
Reasons  for  Seasons  may  inspire  some 
Beautiful  Days  or  Beautiful  Nights  and 
certainly  a lot  of  seeing. 

A brand-new  gem  of  a book.  The 
Pumpkin  People,  tells  about  seasons, 
celebrations,  and  the  cycle  of  life  in  an 
unforgettable  way.  It  was  written  by 
David  and  Maggie  Cavagnaro  in  the 
new  Sierra  Club  Books  for  Children 
Seriesandaimsat  six  to  nine  year  olds. 
Why  is  it  then  that  this  book  is  selling 
briskly  to  PHS  staff  even  to  some  who 
have  no  children?  Partly  because  of 
David  Cavagnaro's  stunning  photo- 
graphs and  also  because  the  story 
describes  a project  we  would  all  like  to 
be  part  of  some  time.  Pippin  planted 
pumpkin  seeds,  nurtured  them,  har- 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


drawings  by  M.T.  Ross  from  Flower  Children  by  Elizabeth  Gordon,  published  by  P.  F.  Volland  Co,,  Joliet,  Illinois  1910. 


vested  them  and  invited  the  whole 
community  of  Bolinas  Lagoon  to  a cele- 
bration. After  carving  faces,  boats  were 
hammered  together  out  of  scraps.  "One 
by  one  the  pumpkins  were  lit,  placed 
upon  their  boats,  and  set  adrift  in  the 
current.  Some  of  the  boats  tipped  and 
sank  under  the  weight  of  their  passen- 
gers. But  soon  there  was  a long  string 
of  boats  floating  off  into  the  gathering 
darkness,  their  glowing  passengers  star- 
ing back  in  silent  farewell." 

Back  in  1896,  Mrs.  Dana  said  in 
Plants  and  Their  Children,  "Now,  I 
want  you  children  to  see  how  many 
different  ways  you  can  recall  in  which 
plants  scatter  abroad  their  little  seeds." 
No  one  who  reads  The  Pumpkin  People 
will  forget  the  scattering  abroad  or  re- 
newal on  the  compost  heap  of  the  seeds 
Pippin  planted.  I must  send  a copy  to 
Margery.  I'll  sign  it  "from  Stately  Lady 
Hollyhock  . . . who  taught  her  children 
every  day  precisely  what  to  do  and  say." 


nature-awareness  books  for  children, 
parents,  grandparents  and  teachers, 
available  in  the  PHS  Library 

(Books  mentioned  in  the  preceding  article 
are  marked  with  asterisks.) 

*The  Carrot  Seed,  by  Ruth  Krauss,  Harper  & 
Row,  New  York,  1945. 

Exploring  Plants  and  Seeds,  by  Gina  Hartell 
and  Ann  Dintenfass,  School  District  of 
Philadelphia  Day  Care  Services,  Philadel- 
phia, 1 945. 

*F!ower  Children,  by  Elizabeth  Gordon,  P.  F. 

Volland,  New  York,  1910. 

Four  Seasons  of  Fun,  by  Isabel  Zucker, 
National  Garden  Bureau,  Birmingham, 
Michigan,  1 969. 

Foxtails,  Ferns  and  Fish  Scales:  A Handbook 
of  Art  and  Nature  Projects,  by  Ada  Gra- 
ham, Four  Winds  Press,  New  York,  1976. 
Gardening  with  Kids,  by  Sharon  MacLatchie, 
Rodale  Press,  Emmaus,  Pa.,  1977 
indoor  Gardening  in  the  Classroom,  Penna. 

Horticultural  Society,  Philadelphia,  1976 
The  Giving  Tree,  by  Shel  Silverstein,  Harper 
& Row,  New  York,  1964 

*G rowing  Up  Green,  by  Alice  Skelsey  and 
Gloria  Huckaby,  Workman  Publishing  Co., 
New  York,  1973 

My  Garden  Companion:  A Complete  Guide 


for  the  Beginner,  by  Jamie  Jobb,  Sierra 
Club  Books,  San  Francisco,  1977 
Nature  Printing,  by  Robert  W.  Little,  pub- 
lished by  the  author,  Pittsburgh,  1976 
*Plants  and  Their  Children,  by  Mrs.  William 
Starr  Dana,  American  Book  Company, 
New  York,  1 896 

Play  with  Plants,  by  Millicent  E.  Selsam, 
Revised  Edition,  William  Morrow,  New 
York,  1978 

*The  Pumpkin  People,  by  David  Cavagnaro 
and  Maggie  Cavagnaro,  Sierra  Club  Books, 
Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York,  1979 
*The  Reasons  for  the  Seasons:  The  Great  Cos- 
mic Megagalactic  Trip  Without  Moving 
from  Your  Chair,  by  Linda  Allison,  Little, 
Brown,  Boston,  1975 

*The  Secret  Garden,  by  Frances  Hodgson 
Burnett,  Dell,  New  York,  1971 
Sharing  Nature  with  Children:  A Parents' 
and  Teachers'  Nature-Awareness  Guide- 
book, by  Joseph  Bharat  Cornell,  Ananda 
Publications,  Nevada  City,  Calif.,  1979 
The  Sierra  Club  Summer  Book,  by  Linda 
Allison,  Sierra  Club  Books,  San  Francisco, 
1977 

Ten-Minute  Field  Trips:  Using  the  School 
Grounds  for  Environmental  Studies,  by 
Helen  Ross  Russell,  J.  G.  Ferguson,  Chicago, 
1973 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


photos  supplied  by  author 


16 


Androsace  seedling  in  crevice,  probably  A.  mathildae.  Photographed  in  alpine  house.  See  page  19. 


It  didn't  take  long  for  me  to  feel 
the  need  for  a change  in  the  style  of 
my  alpine  house  once  it  was  built.  Origi- 
nally there  was  joy  in  anticipating  its 
construction;  then  when  it  was  com- 
pleted, I felt  a great  excitement  in  fill- 
ing the  benches  with  plants.  At  first,  I 
mostly  potted  up  sempervivums  from 
the  garden  to  fill  space,  but  when  the 
house  wasoperating  with  a full  comple- 
ment of  plants,  problems  quickly  arose 
concerning  maintenance  and  general 
care.  As  with  all  gardens,  time  became 
a critical  factor. 

The  first  problem  was  watering. 
Alpine  houses  are  actually  cold  green- 
houses, filled  with  plants  in  pots,  each 
of  which  has  specific  watering  needs. 
Some  plants  should  be  dry  at  certain 
times  in  their  growth  cycle,  wet  or 
moist  at  other  times.  Some  tolerate  no 
overhead  water  either  on  their  leaves 
or  their  crowns.  Others  respond  well 


to  ordinary  watering  techniques. 
Another  problem  was  exposure— sun, 
light,  shade.  And  so  it  went— prima 
donnas  even  in  the  plant  world.  I 
decided  to  carry  out  my  original  plan 
of  a "permanent”  garden  in  the  center 
bench,  reflecting  a mountain  scene  in 
the  hope  of  creating  a variety  of  cultur- 
al situations  to  accommodate  the  plants, 
as  well  as  cutting  down  on  the  hours 
demanded  for  proper  care. 

getting  the  mountain  ready 

The  date  to  begin  this  arduous  task 
was  set  for  early  March,  1974,  right 
after  The  Philadelphia  Flower  and  Gar- 
den Show.  To  create  the  mountain, 
every  pot  in  the  center  bench  had  to 
be  moved  elsewhere.  Hardy  plants 
from  all  three  benches  were  moved  out- 
doors to  sheltered  positions  to  provide 
a more  gentle  acclimatization  from  dry- 
ing winds.  The  winds  could  be  damag- 


ing to  some  plants  that  had  been  rather 
protected  in  the  alpine  house.  Plants 
that  could  not  survive  overhead  water 
on  their  leaves  or  crowns  were  kept 
indoors,  for  more  selective  watering, 
replacing  plants  taken  from  the  two 
side  benches.  As  many  plants  as  pos- 
sible were  kept  indoors  to  avoid  un- 
necessary losses,  for  March  weather 
can  be  unpredictable.  There  was  much 
jockeying  around  of  pots,  but  the  task 
was  finally  completed. 

The  center  bench  measures  59  in.  x 
155  in.  Inasmuch  as  all  pots  were 
plunged  in  sand,  now  came  the  problem 
of  removing  all  the  sand  by  using  any 
container  I could  locate  and  carry. 
Next,  I removed  all  drainage  material 
from  the  bottom  of  the  bench  and  wire- 
brushed  each  section.  The  benches  are 
redwood;  therefore,  zinc  liners  with 
drainage  holes  were  made  and  fitted 
into  each  section.  These  holes  could  be 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


plugged,  if  necessary,  for  watering  pur- 
poses, then  opened  to  allow  excess 
water  to  run  off.  An  Orangeburg  pipe 
with  an  upright  fitting  was  placed 
diagonally  in  the  bottom  of  each  sec- 
tion. The  upright  fitting  wasto  be  used 
for  watering.  The  opening  on  this  fit- 
ting is  always  kept  closed  with  a cork 
except  when  the  section  is  being  water- 
ed through  the  pipe.  The  bottom  pipe 
was  covered  with  plastic  screening  to 
prevent  debris  from  occluding  the  holes. 
No  drainage  material  was  added. 

Now  the  fun  began.  The  sections 
were  filled  with  a mixture  of  three 
parts  sand  to  one  part  leaf  mold.  This 
is  what  alpine  gardeners  call  a “starved 
medium,"  supposedly  what  most  high 
alpines  do  best  in.  Mixing  this  medium 
was  an  arduous  task,  taking  much 
longer  than  I had  anticipated. 

The  ultimate  goal  was  to  create  the 
illusion  of  a mountain  scene.  This  re- 
quired camouflaging  the  dividers  and 
building  the  garden  up  high,  which 
demanded  great  quantities  of  growing 
medium.  Since  many  alpines,  according 
to  the  texts,  prefer  lime,  I purchased 
quantities  of  tufa  for  the  mountain 
range.  After  experimentally  placing 
the  tufa,  I gradually  created  the  effect 
I wanted.  It  looked  very  promising. 
The  danger  at  this  stage  is  not  getting 
enough  variations  in  heights;  so,  the 
final  finishing  touch  was  to  raise  con- 
siderably the  largest  (and  heaviest,  of 
course)  stone.  It  worked.  An  exciting 
phase  was  now  completed  and  a new 


one  presented  itself:  it  was  time  to  plant. 

planting 

Planting  a garden  of  this  type  is  very 
much  like  planting  any  other  garden. 
For  both  you  must  consider  physical 
environment,  such  as  light,  exposure, 
degree  of  shade  and  moisture.  Just  as 
important  to  consider  are  the  physical 
characteristics  of  the  plant:  size,  rate 
of  growth,  form,  texture,  color  of  foli- 
age, color  of  flowers  and  cultural  needs. 
Conifers  can  be  used  but  are  usually 
transients,  moving  outdoors  when  they 
grow  out  of  scale.  Some  plants  were 
put  permanently  into  the  garden,  but  I 
prefer  plunging  them  in  their  pots  deep 
enough  to  conceal  the  rim  of  the  pot.  I 
use  only  clay  pots  for  plunging  because 
they  more  readily  absorb  moisture 
from  the  planting  medium.  Conversely, 
to  avoid  evaporation,  the  pots  must  be 
completely  covered  with  the  soil  mix- 
ture. This  plunging  has,  of  course,  cos- 
metic value  as  well,  and  the  method 
makes  it  easier  to  handle  the  individual 
soil  and  water  requirements  for  the 
plants. 

Whenever  necessary  the  bench  is 
soaked  by  inserting  a hose  with  a water 
volume  control  nozzle  into  the  upright 
fitting  of  the  Orangeburg  pipe.  This 
allows  me  to  water  the  garden  and 
attend  to  other  chores  in  the  alpine 
house  concomitantly.  I water  the  plants 
as  necessary;  the  tufa  is  watered  fre- 
quently. Tufa  retains  moisture,  which 
is  recycled  into  the  soil.  As  the  planting 


medium  or  soil  dries  out  the  tufa  re- 
leases its  moisture.  (See  box  for  list  of 
some  plants  successfully  grown  on  the 
center  bench.) 

The  many  successes  with  plants  were 
accompanied  by  some  failures.  A failure 
of  course,  does  not  apply  to  a plant 
that  is  by  nature  short-lived,  such  as 
the  beautiful  Campanula  morettiana. 

In  planting  this  garden,  I followed  the 
texts  rather  carefully  but  have  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  texts  are  guidelines 
at  best,  and  not  absolutes.  Changes 
must  be  made.  It  is  impossible  to  give 
alpines  the  exact  growing  conditions 
under  which  they  flourish  in  their 
natural  habitats.  It  is  also  difficult  to 
interpret  exactly  what  is  meant  by 
"starved  medium"  (in  spite  of  formu- 
las), and  to  determine  if  it  really  is  a 
fact  that  plants  prefer  this  type  of 
growing  condition.  We  must  consider 
that,  although  alpines  provide  their 
own  meager  quantities  of  humus,  the 
process  of  plant  decay  has  been  a con- 
tinuing action  over  long  periods  of  time. 
It  is  important  also  to  bear  in  mind 
that  in  their  own  environment  many 
of  the  alpines  are  generally  smaller  and 
more  compact  and  may  therefore 
require  less  nourishment  than  in  culti- 
vation. In  nature,  their  roots  are  very 
long— often  well  over  two,  three  or  four 
feet— seeking  food  and  water.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  determine  in  such  instances  the 
quality  or  composition  of  the  soil 
particularly  when  the  plant  in  question 
grows  tightly  wedged  in  a rock  crevice. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


A MOUNTAIN  IN  MY  MOUSE  continued 


Saxifraga  - foreground,  left  of  center 
Acantholimon  armenum  - foreground,  right 
of  center. 

Dianthus  - center,  extreme  left 
Townsendia parry i seedlings  - center,  towards 
back 

Er odium  champaedryoides  roseum  - above 
center,  towards  right;  large,  round  plant 
Eriogonum  caespitpsum  - below  Dianthus 
Sempervivella  - single  rosette,  lower  right 
Daphne arbuscula grandiflora  behind  grassy 
leaves  (Sisyrinchium  macounii ) 
Hormathophylla  pyrenaica  - upper  right,  in 
crevice,  small  plant 

Soldanella  minima  - center,  small  clump 


Saxifraga  cotyledon  - good  illustration  of  ► 
crevice  planting 


I am  convinced  that  I lost  many  of  my 
plants  in  the  center  bench  because  I 
gave  them  a soil  mixture  with  too  little 
nutrient  value. 

Claude  Favarger,  an  eminent  Swiss 
botanist,  states  that  alpine  plants  are 
overnourished  because  "the  high  lumi- 
nosity of  the  environment  which,  by 
favoring  the  assimilation  of  carbon  by 
the  leaves,  results  in  excessive  produc- 
tion of  sugar.  This  sugar  cannot  all  be 
converted  into  starch,  because  of  the 
low  night  temperatures,  and  so  it  has 
to  remain  in  the  plant  cells."  He  ex- 
plains further  that  this  sugar  aids  floral 
pigments  in  resisting  freezing  of  cells, 
etc.  Certainly,  it  is  logical  to  assume 
that  some  of  this  excess  sugar  must  go 
into  the  root  system  to  nourish  the 
plant.  It  is  plausible,  then,  to  consider 
that  the  quality  of  the  growing  medium 
for  montane  [alpine]  plants  is  only 
one  factor  for  success  and  must  be 


evaluated  in  relationship  to  all  factors 
and  adapted  to  a change  in  the  environ- 
ment. I cannot  change  the  light  factor; 
therefore,  I compensate  by  using  a 
richer  medium  than  prescribed.  Having 
successfully  grown  many  outdoor 
plants  in  conditions  opposite  to  their 
cultural  "requirements"  I feel  quite 
confident  that  a second  planting  of  the 
center  bench  using  a richer  medium 
will  prove  successful.  The  challenge  is 
ever  present  and  I shall  certainly 
accept  it  when  time  and  plants  are 
both  available. 

• 

Roxie  Gevjan's  garden  is  one  acre  and  in- 
cludes a small  controlled  woodland,  a collec- 
tion of  conifers,  rare  and  slow  growing,  plus 
a rock  garden  and  two  screes.  She  is  a trustee 
at  Bowman's  Hill  Wildflower  Preserve  and 
occasionally  lectures  to  various  organizations. 
She  notes  that  her  horticultural  background 
is  not  academic,  but  practical.  She  has 
learned  primarily  through  garden  visits,  plant 
societies,  friends  and  actual  experience. 


PLANTS  GROWN  ON  CENTER  BENCH: 

Acantholimon  armenum 
Androsace  spp. 

Aquilegia  'Blueberry' 

Campanula  spp. 

Ceterach  dalhausiae 
Cyclamen  cilicium 
Daphne  arbuscula  grandiflora 
Dianthus  af finis  erinaceous 
Draba  polytricha 
Eriogonum  caespitosum 
Er  odium  spp. 

Haberlea  rhodopensis 
Iris  reichenbachii 

Lithospermum  diffusum  'Grace  Ward' 

Morisia  monanthos 

Petrophytum  caespitosum 

Phyteuma  comosum 

Polygala  chambaebuxus  rhodoptera 

Ramonda  myconi 

Saxifraga  spp. 

Soldanella  spp. 

Townsendia  spp. 

Also  an  occasional  dwarf  bulb 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Erodium  chamaedry aides  rose- 
urn  - lower  right,  mound, 
pink  flower 

Androsace  math i id a e - right, 
on  flat  rock. 

Saxifraga  (in  variety)  - same 
area  but  not  on  the  rock 

Sisyrinchium  macounii  - fore- 
ground, left  center  (grassy 
leaves) 

Dianthus  af finis  erinaceous  - 
left  center  to  right  of  label 

Juniperus  chinensis  foemina  - 
dwarf  conifer  left  of  Erodium 

Campanula  morettiana  alba  - 
lower  foreground  behind 
green  label 

Draba  polytricha  - left  of  cen- 
ter rear,  on  top  of  large  stone 
(outline  against  window;  a 
small  bun) 

Saxifraga  exarata  - center  fore- 
ground, right  of  grassy  foliage 


-4 Cyclamen  cilicium  - lower  left 
Saxifraga  exarata  - center  left, 
behind  stone 

Acantholimon  armenum  - left 
rear,  spiny  plant 
Iris arenaria  - center  left,  grassy 
foliage 

Dianthus  affinis  erinaceus  - 
center,  pink  flowers 
Erodium  chamaedryoides  rose- 
urn  - on  right,  at  edge  of 
bench  (deep  pink  flowers) 
Sedum  pilosum  - below  center 
on  right,  single  rosette 


19 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


(^)  by  Jane  Pepper 


They  were  Burpee's  best-selling 
vegetable  last  year.  Seed  companies 
throughout  America  sold  more  than 
550,000  pounds  of  them,  and  more 
than  eight  million  gardeners  planted  at 
least  one  row  of  this  new  delicacy.  Of 
course.  I'm  talking  about  the  wonder 
vegetable  of  1979,  the  sugar  snap  pea. 
In  1 978  it  was  awarded  the  All-America 
Selections  Gold  Medal;  one  seed  com- 
pany featured  it  on  the  cover  of  their 
1979  catalog,  and  the  horticultural 
press  sang  its  praises  from  late  winter 
through  early  spring. 

Gardeners  are  typically  adventurous 
and  eager  to  try  new  varieties.  The 
advertisers  said  the  pods  were  edible 
but  unlike  flat-podded  snow  or  Chinese 
peas,  which  must  be  picked  young, 
they  said  sugar  snaps  could  be  picked 
when  the  peas  are  fully  mature  and  the 
pods  full  size.  We  grew  them  in  our 
garden  and  loved  them,  and  I wondered 
how  other  gardeners  felt  about  their 
first  experiences  with  sugar  snaps.  I 
also  wondered  if  they  considered  the 
peas  had  lived  up  to  the  claims  of  their 
advertisers. 

In  late  fall  my  curiosity  got  the 
better  of  me,  and  I made  an  informal 
survey  of  Delaware  Valley  gardeners. 
More  than  20  sugar  snap  growers 
responded  to  my  questionnaire  and  an 
outstanding  95%  enthusiastically  said 
they  plan  to  grow  sugar  snaps  next  year. 
Eighteen  out  of  twenty-three  respond- 
ents could  foresee  the  day  when  they 
would  grow  only  sugar  snaps  in  lieu  of 
snow  peas  and  regular  peas.  Some  have 
already  converted.  Only  one  person 
preferred  snow  peas  to  sugar  snaps.  One 
family  mentioned  that  they  liked  the 
sweetness  of  sugar  snaps  but  found 
them  too  bulky  in  an  otherwise  finely 
cut  Chinese  dish.  Several  mentioned 
that  they  preferred  sugar  snaps  to 
snow  peas  because  you  could  harvest 
the  pods  over  a long  period.  Snow  pea 


pods  tend  to  turn  tough  and  stringy 
almost  before  you  have  a chance  to 
pick  them.  One  gardener  indicated 
that  she  will  continue  to  grow  regular 
peas  as  well  as  sugar  snaps  because  the 
regular  peas  bear  much  earlier.  She 
specifically  mentioned  'Sparkle.' 

Comments  on  germination  and  yield 
were  mixed.  Some  mentioned  prolific 
yield,  others  were  disappointed.  We 
found  them  prolific  and  were  delighted 


At  present  sugar  snaps  are  diffi- 
cult for  commercial  growers  to 
handle  because  of  their  height, 
but  they  are  becoming  popular  in 
restaurants  and  gourmet  vegetable 
stores. 


because  they  produced  good  pods 
through  early  July.  First-time  sugar 
snap  growers  should  be  aware  that  they 
will  produce  later  in  the  season  than 
early  varieties  so  don't  get  impatient 
for  your  crop.  Some  gardeners  were 
troubled  by  poor  germination : try  add- 
ing fungicide  such  as  Captan  next  year. 
Despite  the  wet  spring  we  had  no  germi- 
nation problems  but  the  soil  in  our 
vegetable  garden  drains  very  quickly. 

When  it  came  to  consuming  the  har- 
vest most  people  seemed  to  favor  sugar 
snaps  raw  in  salads  or  with  a dip  or 
cold  cuts.  We  tried  boiling  them  for  a 
very  short  time.  This  was  not  nearly  as 
successful  as  when  we  stir-fried  them 
in  our  wok.  The  sweetness  of  the  pods 
increases  as  they  grow  so  you  should 
not  harvest  them  until  they  are  fat. 
Some  gardeners  were  enthusiastic  about 
sugar  snaps  as  a frozen  vegetable.  James 
Wilson,  Executive  Secretary  of  All- 
America  Selections,  had  received  a few 
negative  comments  about  frozen  sugar 
snaps,  but  said  that  several  of  the  cor- 
respondents agreed  they  had  probably 
blanched  the  pods  for  more  than  the 
recommended  two  minutes.  When  we 


were  satiated  with  pea-pod  salad  we 
started  shelling  them  to  serve  as  regu- 
lar peas.  We  thought  they  were  delicious; 
some  respondents  mentioned  that  the 
pods  were  difficult  to  split. 

In  addition  to  general  agreement 
that  the  advertisers  of  sugar  snaps  were 
generally  telling  the  truth,  there  was 
agreement  over  another  sugar  snap  issue. 
Supporting  these  tall  growers  is  a prob- 
lem. The  chicken  wire  we  use  to  sup- 
port the  traditional  peas  is  only  three 
feet,  the  string  netting  five  feet  in 
height.  I was  too  cheap  to  purchase 
taller  wire— and  in  any  case  I didn't 
believe  the  advertisements  which  said 
that  they  would  grow  from  6 to  8 ft. 
tall.  By  early  May  the  peas  had  covered 
our  fence.  When  we  finally  pulled 
them  out  they  were  bent  double,  pull- 
ing the  fence  down  with  them  but  con- 
tinuing to  produce. 

Vegetable  breeders  are,  I am  told, 
fully  aware  of  this  problem  and  hope 
within  a few  years  to  produce  a smaller- 
growing sugar  snap.  The  owner  of  one 
large  seed  company  indicated  that  a 
dwarf  sugar  s’nap  pea  has  already  been 
developed  in  Europe  but  it  is  disap- 
pointingly tasteless  when  compared  to 
the  remarkably  sweet  taller  variety. 
While  you  are  waiting  for  them  to  pro- 
duce a line  of  smaller  sugar  snaps,  some 
of  the  sketches  on  page  22  may  help 
you  design  a support  system  for  your 
1980  sugar  snap  crop.  Ms.  Eikner  of 
Kennett  Square  wrote  "next  year  they 
[the  sugar  snaps]  will  be  grown  on  a 
10-ft.  trellis  of  chicken  wire,"  which 
will  require  1 1 -ft.  metal  stakes.  Most 
people  erect  the  wire  and  plant  a row 
of  peas  on  either  side  of  the  fence. 

In  response  to  my  request,  several 
gardeners  provided  additional  cultural 
instructions  for  sugar  snaps.  Andy 
Graham  of  J.  Franklin  Styer  Nurseries 
mixed  two  parts  5-10-5  with  one  part 
Earth-Rite  soil  conditioner  (Zook  and 

continued 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Supports  for  Sugar  Snap  Peas  in  the  Garden 


22 


554'  high 


c- 


Channel  iron 
- . posts  driven  into 
ground,  heavy 
~ polyester  cord 
strung  laterally. 
The  plants  fre- 


out  of 
ground 


- - 


quently  grow  a 
foot  or  more 
above  this  height. 


Peas  in  shallow  trenches 


Ranck)  and  placed  the  mixture  in  the 
row  at  time  of  seeding.  Andy's  crop 
was  "prolific.”  Mary  and  Wilbur  Zim- 
merman recommend  using  a fertilizer 
high  in  phosphorous.  Austin  Mims  of 
Doylestown  tilled  a 3-  to  4-in.  layer  of 
rotted  leaves,  10-10-10  fertilizer  and 
lime  into  the  area  in  which  he  planned 
to  plant  sugar  snaps.  After  the  peas 
had  made  considerable  growth  he  side- 
dressed  the  rows  with  additional 
10-10-10.  His  peas  (not  surprisingly) 
grew  quickly,  and  seemed  to  fall  away 
from  the  8-ft.  trellis.  Mims  secured 
them  with  binder  twine. 


154"  Iron  pipe  8'  above  ground  18"  in  ground 


Enough  sugar  snap  seed  was  sold  in 
this  country  for  the  1979  growing  sea- 
son to  fill  5%  boxcars.  Almost  half  as 
much  again  went  overseas  to  Japan 
and  Europe.  Next  year  the  developer 
of  sugar  snap  peas,  Gallatin  Valley  Seed 
Company  of  Twin  Falls,  Idaho,  plans 
to  increase  their  distribution  to  seed 
suppliers  by  50%.  The  bulk  of  this  will 
go  to  home  gardeners.  At  present  sugar 
snaps  are  difficult  for  commercial 
growers  to  handle  because  of  their 
height,  but  they  are  becoming  popular 
in  restaurants  and  gourmet  vegetable 
stores.  At  $4.00  a pound  in  a chic  San 
Francisco  market  they  probably  repre- 
sent a vegetable  for  the  elite.  Just 
think— you  and  I can  grow  as  many  as 
we  please  in  our  gardens  for  a fraction 
of  that  cost. 


Grateful  thanks  for  all  gardeners  who 
helped  me  with  this  article  by  respond- 
ing promptly  to  my  questionnaire. 

• 


RECIPE  BOOKLET  AVAILABLE 

All-America  Selections  has  prepared  a 
book  of  sugar  snap  pea  recipes.  Send  50 
cents  to  Paula  Lion,  All-America  Selec- 
tions, 1 186  Los  Altos  Avenue,  Los  Altos, 
CA  94022.  Please  include  a stamped,  self- 
addressed  business  size  envelope  with 
your  request. 


Jane  Pepper  is  public  information  coordina- 
tor for  the  Horticultural  Society.  She  and 
her  husband  Wing  (who  you  may  remember 
as  Pepper  the  Pea  Sheller  in  Green  Scene, 
May,  19791  garden  near  Media. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


photo  by  Jeannette  Lowe 


where  your 
gardening  seeds 
come  from 

(^)  by  Amalie  Adler  Ascher 


Five  hundred  acres  is  a lot  of  ground 
to  plant.  What's  more  the  stakes  are 
high  if  crops  are  to  produce  a year's 
supply  of  salable  seeds.  But  as  manager 
of  the  W.  Atlee  Burpee  Company's 
seed  production  operation  in  Santa 
Paula,  Calif.,*  George  Albers  has  devel- 
oped a scientific  approach  to  the  job. 

*W.  Atlee  Burpee  headquartersare  in  Doyles- 
town.  Pa. 


In  his  business,  little  things  can  make  a 
big  difference. 

Like  what  the  neighbors  are  growing. 
Albers  loses  sleep  over  that.  So  much 
so  that  he  visits  them  to  find  out  in 
advance. 

Suppose,  for  example,  they  planned 
to  raise  marigolds  but  of  different  varie- 

continued 


Each  year  billions  of  seeds  are  produced  in  the  California  fields  and  go  all  over  the  country  in  millions  of  packets.  A few  of  these  seeds 
have  come  to  rest  in  the  zinnia  trial  fields  at  Burpee's  Fordhook  Farms  in  Doylestown.  David  Burpee's  residence  in  the  distance. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


24 


where  your 
gardening  seeds 

come  from  continued 


ties  than  those  he  would  be  growing  in 
.fields  in  the  area.  That  would  mean 
trouble,  since  the  birds  or  the  wind 
would  be  virtually  certain  to  make  their 
own  crosses  and  ruin  his  carefully  con- 
trolled, hand-pollinated  hybrids. 

To  prevent  such  a catastrophe,  he 
gives  nearby  homeowners  some  of  the 
same  seed  he  will  be  planting,  or  of 
other  vegetables  and  flowers,  or  he 
invites  them  to  come  on  over  and  help 
themselves  to  the  pickings  in  his 
domain.  So  much  for  that  problem. 

Volunteers  can  be  a real  headache 
to  a seed  producer.  Volunteers  are 
plants  that  pop  up  on  their  own  as  a 
result  of  re-seeding  or  other  natural 
causes  among  planned  crops.  They  are 
definitely  not  welcome,  since  they  are 
different  from  the  group. 

It  is  for  this  reason,  in  fact,  that  a 
crop  is  never  repeated  on  the  same 

Tomatoes,  for  example,  when 
over-watered,  fail  to  set  fruit. 
Better  to  keep  them  under  stress 
while  flowering  and  before  fruit 
is  set.  "They  can  get  by,"  Albers 
said,  "with  less  water  than  you 
think." 


ground  two  years  in  a row.  (In  the  case 
of  tomatoes  that  might  bring  on  soil- 
borne  diseases,  rotation  takes  place 
over  a-  three-year  period.)  Rotating 
crops  gives  the  seed  a chance  to  break 
down. 

The  problem  of  volunteers  could 
become  even  worse  due  to  the  high 
concentration  of  producers  in  the  area 
were  steps  not  taken  to  regulate  it. 
Growers  negotiate  to  ensure  that 
plantings  be  spaced  no  nearer  than  a 
mile  apart. 

Still,  roguing,  or  pulling  out  volun- 
teers by  hand,  also  called  quality  con- 
trol, constitutes  the  greatest  expense 
to  a seed  producer,  Albers  says,  and 
continues  up  to  the  time  of  harvesting. 
On  the  other  hand,  when  natural  polli- 
nation is  required,  he  rents  bee  colonies 
to  guarantee  that  it  occurs. 

By  and  large,  the  day  has  passed 
when  producers  could  grow  their  own 
seed.  It's  too  expensive  now.  So  local, 
independent  farmers  in  20  or  30  loca- 


tions, Albers  said,  do  it  instead.  Con- 
tracts are  awarded  based  on  past  experi- 
ence, though  90%  are  repeaters  year 
after  year  as  a practical  matter  since 
the  repeat  growers  are  familiar  with  a 
company's  crops  and  methods  of  cul- 
ture. Sometimes  the  same  grower  works 
for  more  than  one  company.  When 
that  happens,  he  must  be  extremely 
careful  not  to  cross-pollinate  crops  and 
thereby  contaminate  them. 

"We  must  test  for  purity  constantly,” 
Albers  explained.  "Even  though  zinnias 
were  to  be  followed  by  beets,  for  ex- 
ample, fields  would  still  need  to  be 
rogued  since  volunteers  of  zinnias 
might  come  up  again  the  next  year.  It's 
that  second  year  that's  the  critical  one, 
so  we  must  watch  plants  unfailingly. 

"Although  outside  farmers  grow 
our  seed,  the  work  is  carried  out  under 
Burpee  supervision;  we  do  our  own 
planting,  roguing,  application  of  growth 
regulators,  and  harvesting.  We're  out  in 
the  fields  twice  a week  looking  at  the 
crops  and  keeping  contact  with  far- 
mers. We  also  give  them  the  dates 


when  the  ground  must  be  ready  for 
planting." 

started  in  greenhouse 

A native  of  Wilhelmshaven,  Germany, 
where  he  served  his  apprenticeship, 
Albers  joined  the  Burpee  Company  13 
years  ago,  beginning  as  a greenhouse 
manager.  During  the  winter  he  grew 
seeds  for  transplants,  in  summer  rogu- 
ing and  assisting  with  harvesting.  He 
thus  became  familiar  with  field  opera- 
tions and  the  methods  of  propagating 
hybrid  and  open-pollinated  flowers 
and  vegetables,  in  the  first  instance 
manipulated  by  man,  in  the  second 
fertilized  by  natural  means. 

The  amount  of  seed  to  plant  is  a 
matter  for  the  sales  and  inventory 
department  to  decide.  Needs  are  based 
on  demand  and  supply  on  hand.  Charts 
are  kept  showing  average  yield  per  acre 
per  variety,  which  determines  the  acre- 
age required  per  crop.  However,  Albers 
says,  soil  composition  must  be  taken 
into  consideration,  since  this  can  be 
altered  by  plants  grown  there  before. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


"We  don't  sterilize  the  soil,"  he  said, 
"because  it  costs  $600  to  $700  an  acre, 
though  some  mild  herbicides  are  used. 
When  we  select  ground,  we  always  ask 
what  herbicides  have  been  applied  pre- 
viously. It's  important  to  know  that 
because  the  residue  could  kill  the  crop. 

"Everything  might  start  growing 
great,  then  as  a result  of  residue,  sud- 
denly die.  When  we  do  resort  to  herbi- 
cides, it's  for  the  purpose  of  reducing 
weeding  costs,  and  then,  we  use  only 
those  registered  for  that  specific  crop." 

Albers  favors  16-20-0,  which  he  says 
is  a good  all-around  fertilizer  to  side- 
dress  plants  once  they  become  estab- 
lished. He  applies  a minimum  of  50 
units  of  nitrogen  an  acre  and  as  a 
pre-planting  nourishment,  1 1 -48-0  cali- 
brated by  the  acre.  The  need  for  addi- 
tional fertilizer  is  determined  by  the 
history  of  the  ground,  meaning  what 
has  grown  on  it  before. 

cultivation  instead  of  mulching 

Mulching  isn't  necessary,  he  says, 
because  the  land  is  being  constantly 
cultivated.  "Besides,  if  the  price  for  a 
crop  isn't  right,  we  plow  it  under,  add- 
ing enrichment.  Also  instead  of  mulch- 
ing, we  irrigate,  but  by  furrow  rather 
than  a sprinkler  system.  All  plants  are 
grown  in  beds  30  in.  wide  in  rows  as 


long  as  1,800  ft.,  as  short  as  30  ft." 

Watering  is  closely  programmed  at 
four  to  five  irrigations  during  the  grow- 
ing season  (March  15  to  October  30), 
when  there  is  little  if  any  rain.  For  ex- 
ample, zinnias  planted  on  May  15  and 
developing  during  this  dry  period  to 
maturity  August  1 5 would  receive  four 
to  five  waterings  that  might  run  as 
long  as  24  hours  straight. 

There  is  a significant  difference, 
Albers  said,  between  plants  seeded  di- 
rectly in  the  ground  and  those  set  from 
transplants.  Direct  seeded  plants 
develop  a longer  tap  root,  which  is  not 
as  restricted  in  its  supply  of  moisture 
as  are  roots  of  transplants  lying  nearer 
the  surface  where  the  soil  dries  out 
more  quickly. 

Most  people,  Albers  says,  tend  to 
over-water  and  thereby  shut  air  out  of 
the  soil,  which,  in  turn  prevents  a root 
system  from  developing.  This  also 
causes  leaching  of  nutrients,  plants 
become  weakened  and  produce  vege- 
tative growth  or  foliage  rather  than 
fruit  or  flowers.  Tomatoes,  for  example, 
when  over-watered,  fail  to  set  fruit. 
Better  to  keep  them  under  stress  while 
flowering  and  before  fruit  is  set.  "They 
can  get  by,"  Albers  said,  "with  less 
water  than  you  think." 

"What  it  takes  to  grow  things  is 


plain,  common  sense.  You  don't  have 
to  go  by  the  books,  necessarily,  but 
rather  learn  by  doing."  When  the 
soil  has  dried  out  sufficiently  on  top, 
he  says,  cultivate  to  break  the  crust. 
That  seals  in  moisture.  When  soil  cracks, 
moisture  is  released.  A single  cultiva- 
tion is  as  good  as  two  irrigations  in 
heavier  soil.  On  established  plantings, 
cultivating  accomplishes  two  purposes: 
it  suppresses  weeds  and  preserves 
moisture. 

Turning  to  other  problems,  Albers 
says,  "There  are  sprays  for  mildew  on 
cucurbits  and  zinnias,  and  controls  for 
insects,  but  for  wildlife  there  is  only 
fencing.  You  should  see  the  size  of  the 
jackrabbits  out  here!"  he  exclaims  in 
disbelief.  "When  pesticides  are  required, 
we  call  in  specialists." 

In  recent  years,  control  of  the  Bur- 
pee Company  has  passed  from  the 
family  to  conglomerates.  In  the  last 
few  years,  it  has  been  owned  by  Gen- 
eral Foods,  and  in  late  summer  was 
acquired  by  an  International  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  subsidiary,  O.  M.  Scott 
& Sons  (lawn  and  garden  products) 
division. 

Amalie  Ascher  is  a frequent  contributor  to 
Green  Scene. 


25 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


26 


Don’t  Let  February  Forgetfulness  Foul  Kbur  Flora 


The  period  of  time  between  January 
1 and  February  28  covers  a wide  range 
of  growing  conditions  for  the  Delaware 
Valley  gardener.  The  temperature  can 
plunge  to  sub-zero  and  then  soar  to 
above  50°.  The  dark,  grey  days  of 
December  slowly  have  given  way  to 
periods  of  bright  welcome  sunshine 
that  will  continue  to  increase  in  the 
months  ahead.  Both  indoor  and  out- 
door plants  that  have  seemed  sterile 
and  lifeless  for  several  months  start  to 
show  new  signs  of  growth. 

Unfortunately,  many  of  us  take  our 
plants  and  gardens  for  granted  at  this 
time  of  year.  The  changes  taking  place 
are  often  so  slight  that  we  remain 
unaware  of  them  for  prolonged  periods 
of  time.  January  and  February  are  not 
the  months  to  take  a vacation  from 
plant  maintenance;  they  are  critical 
months  for  your  plants'  health. 

Now  is  the  time  to  carefully  check 
all  of  your  house  plants  for  disease, 
insects  and  accumulated  dust.  Ordinary 
house  dust,  tobacco,  fireplace  smoke 
and  cooking  vapors  accumulate  and 
block  the  leaf  openings  that  permit 
breathing  and  transpiration.  Wash  the 
leaf  coatings  with  lukewarm  water 
and  a little  soap;  rinse  with  clear  water. 

As  the  days  lengthen  plants  will 
start  to  produce  new  growth  and  signs 
of  bloom  may  appear.  Start  fertilizing 
regularly  when  bud  growth  begins, 
usually  in  early  February.  Plants  that 
are  grown  under  lights  are  fertilized 
throughout  the  year  because  they  are 
provided  with  enough  light  to  properly 
conduct  photosynthesis.  Remember 
that  the  smoke  and  dust  also  coats 
the  light  units'  tubes  and  reflectors 
and  now  is  a good  time  to  take  a damp 
cloth  to  these  fixtures.  Disconnect  the 
electrical  cord  before  wiping  the  fixtures. 

Although  summer  is  still  six  months 
away  now  is  the  time  to  start  some  of 
the  annual  seeds  that  will  provide  a 
splash  of  color  next  July.  Begonia  and 


by  Ed  Lindemann 

seed  geraniums  should  be  started  now 
for  early  summer  bloom.  The  top  of 
the  light  unit  is  an  excellent  shelf  with 
built-in  bottom  heat  on  which  to  start 
the  seed  pans. 

If  you  have  been  keeping  non- 
hardy bulbs,  corms,  or  tubers  over  the 
winter,  check  them  for  rotting  or  other 
problems.  If  the  corms  or  tubers  show 
signs  of  rotting  it  may  mean  that  they 
have  been  exposed  to  too  much 


The  secret  to  successful  coldframe 
gardening  is  controlling  ventila- 
tion and  temperature.  Remember 
that  even  on  very  cold  days  bright 
sunlight  can  cause  the  tempera- 
ture to  rise  rapidly  in  a closed 
frame. 


moisture.  A sulfur  dusting  and  some 
extra  ventilation  will  help  remedy  the 
problem.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the 
stored  material  seems  excessively  dry 
and  shriveled  moisten  the  storage 
medium  a little.  The  corms  and  tubers 
can  be  started  near  the  end  of  February 
in  boxes  or  flats  of  peatmoss  if  you 
have  the  room  inside.  A sunny  location 
with  a night  temperature  of  50  -60° 
would  be  perfect  for  giving  you  a jump 
on  the  growing  season.  Be  sure  that 
you  do  not  set  the  plants  outside  while 
there  is  still  a chance  of  frost  or  all  of 
your  work  will  have  been  in  vain. 

The  outside  garden  also  needs  some 
checking  during  the  late  winter  months. 
As  the  days  lengthen  and  the  temper- 
atures rise  during  the  day  it  becomes 
more  important  to  watch  your  cold- 
frame  closely.  The  secret  to  successful 
coldframe  gardening  is  controlling 
ventilation  and  temperature.  Remem- 
ber that  even  on  very  cold  days  bright 
sunlight  can  cause  the  temperature  to 


rise  rapidly  in  a closed  frame.  The 
temperatures  drop  quickly  in  the  mid- 
to  late  afternoon  as  the  sun  lowers  in 
the  sky.  It  is  extremely  important  to 
open  the  frame  before  the  temperature 
rises  and  to  close  it  before  the  temper- 
ature drops.  A range  between  40°  and 
60°  is  about  the  maximum  that  the 
plants  can  tolerate  and  still  remain  in 
good  condition.  Much  higher  temper- 
atures during  the  day  will  tend  to 
weaken  the  plants  and  extremely  cold 
nighttemperaturesfollowing  mild  days 
may  cause  severe  setbacks. 

The  insects  may  not  be  swarming 
outside  at  the  end  of  February,  but  it 
is  the  time  to  start  thinking  about  the 
initial  stages  of  control  for  many  of 
the  pests  that  can  cause  damage  later 
in  the  season.  Dormant  oil  sprays, 
made  from  a petroleum  base,  are  one 
of  the  best  means  of  control  but  they 
must  be  applied  at  the  correct  time. 
These  sprays  are  used  to  control  many 
pests  capable  of  surviving  the  winter 
in  our  area  and  should  be  applied  in 
the  early  spring  before  the  plant  shows 
any  sign  of  new  growth.  A temperature 
range  between  45  and  55  is  ideal  for 
application.  Dormantoil  spraysare  not 
recommended  for  all  types  of  plants. 
Be  sure  to  check  the  manufacturer's 
label  and  follow  the  directions  carefully. 

January  and  February  may  be  the 
months  to  sit  beside  the  fire  and 
order  seeds  from  the  ever  enticing 
catalogs,  but  they  do  not  excuse  the 
gardener  from  preventive  maintenance. 
Just  as  you  order  the  seeds  anticipating 
a lovely  flower  garden  and  bountiful 
harvest  so  you  should  also  consider  the 
pest  and  disease  problems  that  will 
pose  a threat  to  your  gardening  rewards. 
Don't  let  forgetfulness  cause  you 
regret,  but  let  your  foresight  ensure 
success  with  your  plants  both  indoors 
and  out. 

• 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


KEEPING  ROVER 
FROM  ROVING 


Barbara  D.  Brown 


The  reasonsfor  keeping  canines  suit- 
ably confined  in  outdoor  areas  are 
numerous,  not  the  least  of  which  is  the 
good  will  of  the  neighbors.  Most  of  our 
more  built-up  residential  areas  have 
leash  laws  with  stiff  fines  for  those 
who  repeatedly  ignore  them.  These 
aren't  always  enforced,  however,  and 
as  space  becomes  more  and  more  limit- 
ed the  need  for  such  enforcement  will 
become  increasingly  necessary.  Even  in 
open  suburban  areas  this  law  is  needed. 
Few  things  disturb  those  concerned 
with  wildlife  more  than  seeing  some- 
body's dog  with  a bobwhite  hanging 
from  its  mouth.  Our  birds  and  small 
mammals  have  a hard  enough  time  ob- 
taining suitable  living  space  without 
worrying  about  which  way  to  jump 
should  Rover  appear  on  the  scene. 

The  only  alternative:  Set  aside  a 
proper  spot  in  the  yard  for  the  dog. 
There  are  a number  of  considerations 
to  be  explored  in  selecting  the  location 
for  his  run  or  exercise  area. 

First  of  all,  how  big  should  it  be? 
That,  of  course,  depends  on  the  size  of 
the  dog  and  whether  he  will  live  in  the 
run  at  all  times  or  just  be  there  occasion- 
ally for  exercise  and  fresh  air.  The  mini- 
mum, according  to  the  American 
Humane  Association,  is  10  ft.  x 20  ft. 

I feel  that  for  a medium  sized  dog  20 
ft.  x 30  ft.  would  be  more  comfortable 
if  your  lot  size  permits.  Naturally,  the 
run  will  require  fencing.  Here  again, 
there  are  a number  of  possibilities. 
Although  not  too  attractive,  chain  link 
fencing  has  to  be  the  strongest.  It  can 
be  camouflaged  by  covering  it  with 
hardy  vines.  There  is  also  a black  vinyl 
covered  chain  link  which  becomes 
almost  invisible  especially  if  shrub 
groups  are  spotted  here  and  there  in 


front  of  it.  Picket  fencing  can  be  used 
successfully,  notably  the  cedar  variety 
either  with  a rough  finish  or  smoothly 
sawed.  This  picket  type  of  fencing 
comes  with  either  2-in.  or  3-in.  spacing 
between  the  pickets  and  has  a plus: 
Rover  can  see  out  and  know  that  his 
family  is  close  at  hand.  All  of  these 
types  of  fencing  come  in  4-,  5-  and 
6-ft.  heights.  Unless  you  have  a regular 
pole  vaulter,  the  5-ft.  height  should  be 
fine.  Then  we  must  not  forget  those 
breeds  that  are  known  diggers  such  as 


27 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


KEEPING  ROVER 


Thirty  feet  seems  a “safe”  dis- 
tance to  position  the  dog  run 
from  the  house  and  preferably 
downwind  from  it. 


although  I don't  think  normally  con- 
sidered a digger,  a golden  retriever  that 
I have  definitely  falls  into  this  category. 
For  these  dogs  it  would  be  wise  to  add 
wire  mesh  1 ft  - V/>  ft.  under  the  fence 
which  also  keeps  rodents  from  digging 
into  the  enclosure. 

Now  then,  where  do  we  locate  the 
run?  The  occupant's  comfort  as  well  as 
the  needs  of  the  persons  involved 
should  be  kept  in  mind.  Thirty  feet 
seems  a "safe"  distance  to  position  the 
dog  run  from  the  house  and  preferably 
downwind  from  it.  Since  our  prevailing 
summer  winds  come  out  of  the  south- 
west, if  at  all  possible,  a spot  in  the 
northeastern  or  southeastern  quadrants 
would  be  best. 

N 


One  more  step  that  can  be  taken  to 
prevent  odors  from  reaching  the  house 
or  outdoor  living  areas  is  to  make  use 
of  fragrant  plants  between  house  and 
run.  These  coupled  with  chlorophyll's 
natural  odor  eating  tendencies  should 
be  sufficient  to  keep  your  dog  area 
pleasant.  Regular  cleaning  is  taken  for 
granted. 

Some  sort  of  protection  from  the 
elements  is  needed:  sun,  wind  and  rain. 
Deciduous  trees  are  effective;  they 
afford  summer  shade  while  permitting 
the  dog  to  benefit  from  winter  sun. 
Incidentally , the  sun  should  be  allowed 
to  reach  the  run  for  at  least  a brief 
period  each  day  even  in  summer 
because  the  ultraviolet  rays  act  as  a 
purifier  and  germ  killer.  On  the  north- 
west side  it  is  advisable  to  set  up  some 
sort  of  windbreak  since  our  winter 


winds  come  from  that  direction.  Ever- 
green shrubs  or  trees  can  take  care  of 
this  job  nicely.  Some  part  of  the  run 
should  be  kept  dry  at  all  times.  It  can 
be  partially  roofed  or,  if  Rover  is  out- 
doors full-time,  his  dog  house  can 
serve  the  purpose. 

The  fence  that  surrounds  the  dog 
area  can  partially  screen  it  from  your 
home  and  outdoor  living  area.  It  will 
need  some  help,  though.  Several  group- 
ings of  medium  to  large  evergreen 
shrubs  would  work  well  especially  if 
staggered.  Vines  grown  over  the  fence 
give  some  shade  as  well  as  hide  it.  A 
sort  of  lath  house  could  be  constructed 
over  part  of  the  run  for  shade  and 
screening.  Deciduous  flowering  shrubs 
combined  with  evergreens  would  work 
for  summer  and  winter.  You  could  use 
fruit  trees  with  low  evergreens  under- 
neath to  break  the  sight  line.  Any 
combinations  of  these  ideas  would  also 
work  well.  If  you  have  a detached  gar- 
age or  other  outbuilding,  you  could 
locate  the  run  on  the  side  away  from 
the  house,  automatically  putting  it  out 
of  sight.  You  could  also  make  the  run 
L-shaped  around  two  sides  of  the  build- 
ing thereby  cutting  down  on  your  fence 
cost  by  using  both  sides  of  the  building 
in  place  of  fencing. 


GARAGE 

RUN 

Now  to  the  real  nitty  gritty.  Which 
plants  can  tolerate  the  ever  present  uric 
acid  and  its  salts  that  close  proximity 
to  the  enclosure  mean?  Surprisingly, 
there  are  a fair  number  that  can  sur- 
vive these  conditions  and  undoubtedly 


many  that  I am  not  aware  of. 

Evergreens: 

Pinus  montana  - Mugo  pine 
Picea  pungens  - Colorado  spruce 
Pinus  nigra  - Austrian  pine 
Taxus  cuspidata  - Japanese  yew 
Ilex  crenata  - Japanese  holly 
Pinus  thunbergiana  - Japanese  black 
pine 

Deciduous  material: 

Elaeagnusangustifolia  - Russian  olive 
Caragana  arborescens  - Siberian  pea- 
shrub 

Hippophae  rhamnoides  - common 
seabuckthorn 

Rhus  typhina  - staghorn  sumac 
Ribes  alpinum  - alpine  currant 
Rosa  rugosa  - saltspray  rose  or 
rugosa  rose 

Symphoricarpos  albus  - snowberry 

About  the  best  vine  to  use  is  Vir- 
ginia creeper,  Parthenocissus  quinque- 
folia.  There  are  a couple  of  other  vines 
that  can  be  used,  but  I don't  think 
they  are  as  reliably  hardy  in  this  situ- 
ation as  the  Virginia  creeper:  clematis 
hybrids  of  which  there  are  so  many, 
plus  Clematis  paniculata,  Clematis 
virginiana,  and  climbing  hydrangea, 
Hydrangea  petiolaris. 

To  make  the  fence  a little  more 
difficult  to  reach,  some  kind  of  curbing 
might  be  installed  just  inside  it.  If 
you  decide  to  try  the  vine  route  I'm 
sure  the  vine  would  benefit  from  this 
additional  precaution.  Further  away 
from  the  fence  any  plant  could  be  used. 

Now,  there's  no  reason  why  you  can't 
have  your  dog  and  your  garden  too. 

• 

Barbara  Brown  is  a landscape  design  student 
at  Temple  University,  Ambler  Campus.  For- 
merly she  worked  for  the  USDA  in  Belts- 
ville,  Maryland.  She  has  been  volunteer 
naturalist  guide  at  Ridley  Creek  State  Park 
in  Media.  Brown  is  a past  president  of 
Heritage  Gardeners  and  cochaired  the  1975 
PHS  Christmas  Show. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


photos  bv  author 


The  black,  wiry-stemmed  Maidenhair  species  shows  tightly-furled, 
bright-red  fiddleheads,  almost  invisible  against  its  background  of 
mature  fronds. 


Shocking  pink  is  the  color  of  the  almost-unfurled  fronds  on  the 
Hacksaw  fern,  Doodia  caudata. 


February  is 
Springtime  in 
The  Fernery 

($$)  by  Marilyn  B.  Peterson 

Nature  made  ferns  for  pure  leaves,  to 
show  what  she  could  do  in  that  line. 

—Henry  David  Thoreau 

A full  month  before  the  outside 
world  begins  to  blossom  forth,  the 
Fernery  at  the  Morris  Arboretum  in 
Chestnut  Hill  is  showing  its  spring 
colors. 

continued 


30 


Encouraged  by  the  strengthening 
sunlight  and  gradually  warming  interior 
temperatures,  a crop  of  multi-colored 
fiddleheads  begin  to  show  themselves 
as  early  as  the  third  week  in  February. 

This  re-awakening  is  the  culmination 
of  several  months  of  dormancy  for  the 
arboretum's  tropical  ferns.  Beginning 


In  winter,  the  Japanese  climbing 
fern  is  cut  to  the  ground.  I was 
terrified  that  I might  kill  the 
priceless  plant  and  crossed  my 
fingers  until  winter  was  over,  and 
I could  see  new  growth  in  the 
ground. 


in  October,  many  start  to  lose  their 
fronds  or  get  "dormancy  markings." 

By  mid-December,  the  Fernery 
looks  barren.  On  some  plants,  all  that 
is  left  are  their  rhizomes  and  roots. 
Others  keep  a few  sterile  fronds  over 
the  winter,  but  do  not  send  up  new 
growth. 

I first  noticed  this  dormancy,  or 
rest  period,  in  ferns  three  years  ago. 
Since  I had  never  before  had  the  oppor- 
tunity to  view  ferns  in  a naturalized 
greenhouse  setting,  I had  assumed  that 
I was  causing  my  ferns  to  "die"  over 
the  winter  in  my  house.  I had  even 
thrown  away  some,  believing  that  they 
would  never  revive. 

As  a volunteer  in  the  Fernery,  I 
went  through  that  winter  with  much 
trepidation.  "Just  prune  them  back," 
the  arboretum's  propagation  expert 
told  me.  "They'll  come  back  up  in  the 
spring." 

So,  I pruned  and  pruned.  The  most 


The  fiddleheads  of  the  tree-fern,  Sphaeropteris  cooperi,  reach  out  a 
beckoning  hand  across  the  pathway  in  the  Fernery. 


devastating  day  came  when  it  was  time 
to  cut  back  the  manigicent  Lygodium 
japonicum,  the  Japanese  climbing  fern. 
This  fern  climbs  ropes  for  a distance  of 
about  eight  or  nine  feet,  from  its  pot 
to  the  top  of  the  Fernery.  In  winter,  it 
is  cut  to  the  ground.  I was  terrified 
that  I might  kill  the  priceless  plant  and 
crossed  my  fingers  until  winter  was 
over,  and  I could  see  new  growth  in 
the  ground. 

Meanwhile,  I began  reading  about 
dormancy  in  ferns  by  getting  several 
gardening  and  fern  books  from  libraries 


and  bookstores.  To  my  dismay,  I 
found  very  little. 

What  puzzled  me  was  that  the  books 
claimed  that  dormancy  was  caused  by 
cold  and  the  Fernery  is  heated  to  the 
same  temperature  year-round,  except 
for  the  solar  heat  that  builds  up. 

In  the  Fernery,  the  plants'  reaction 
of  going  into  dormancy  seemed  to 
reflect  the  lessening  of  light,  or  the 
lesser  quality  of  that  light.  After  talk- 
ing to  some  friends  in  the  Indoor  Light 
Gardening  Society,  I found  that  ferns 
grown  under  indoor  lights  do  not  go 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


The  magnificent  Belchnum  brasiliense  shows  its  new  pinkish-brown 
fronds  amidst  a backdrop  of  older  fronds. 


dormant  quite  as  strongly  as  others. 
Some  members  reported  no  obvious 
rest  period  at  all  for  their  plants. 

My  experience  with  dormancy  in 
the  Fernery  taught  me  several  things. 
First,  I found  that  some  ferns  go  more 
dormant  than  others  and  are,  therefore, 
less  attractive  over  the  winter  months. 
These  included  Adiantum  (maidenhair) 
varieties,  many  Pteris  (brake  fern) 
varieties.  Polypodium  aureum  and 
Diplazium  esculentum. 

Others,  like  the  many  Nephrolepis 
(sword  and  Boston)  fern  varieties,  lose 


their  pinna  somewhat  like  an  oak  tree 
loses  its  leaves.  That  can  be  a messy 
proposition. 

One  woman  I know  who  enters  ferns 
into  the  Flower  Show  has  solved  her 
problem  with  winter  dormancy.  She 
cuts  her  maindenhair  ferns  back  in 
August,  forcing  them  into  dormancy, 
and  they  look  beautiful  enough  to  win 
ribbons  all  winter  long. 

Another  thing  I learned  is  that 
dormancy,  and  the  resultant  lack  of 
fronds,  helps  us  to  do  the  necessary 
"housekeeping"  on  our  plants.  That  is 


when  we  can  see  enough  of  the  plant 
to  clean  out  old  fronds  and  make  sure 
the  pruning  is  down  to  ground  level. 

Then,  in  the  spring  when  the  very 
tender  new  "f iddleheads"  appear,  they 
have  plenty  of  growing  room.  Also,  by 
pruning  before  the  new  growth  appears, 
we  run  much  less  risk  of  damaging  these 
young  fronds  by  accidentally  bumping 
them  with  our  shears. 

We've  also  found  that  just  at  the 
end  of  this  dormant  period  is  the  per- 
fect time  to  divide  the  ferns  or  trans- 
plant them.  The  energy  that  they  have 
stored  over  the  winter  enables  them  to 
get  a good  fresh  start  in  their  new  place. 

The  beginning  of  new  growth  is  also 
a reminder  to  start  fertilizing  your  ferns 
again  and  to  increase  their  watering. 
Plus,  it  tells  you  that  the  sun  is  stronger 
and,  if  the  plant  is  in  a sunny  window 
for  the  winter,  it  should  be  moved  to  a 
shadier  location  to  prevent  its  leaves 
from  being  burned. 

Even  more  welcome  than  the  first 
crocus  are  the  signs  of  new  life  in  the 
Fernery,  mainly  because  it  is  happening 
while  there  is  (at  least  in  recent  years) 
a foot  of  snow  still  on  the  ground. 
And,  the  ferns  certainly  rise  to  the 
occasion.  Their  spring  colors  are  bright 
reds  and  pinks,  blue-greens,  whites  and 
yellow-greens.  It's  a nature  lover's  para- 
dise, while  the  rest  of  the  world  lies 
still  sleeping. 

• 

Marilyn  Peterson  has  volunteered  in  the 
Morris  Arboretum  Fernery  for  several  years. 
A past  president  of  the  Delaware  Valley 
Fern  Society,  she  co-chaired  the  arboretum's 
award-winning  exhibit,  ''Ferns:  Energy  Pro- 
ducers,” at  the  1979  PHS  Flower  Show.  She 
has  served  for  two  years  on  the  Passing  Com- 
mittee of  the  Flower  Show  and  is  known  to 
Philadelphia  Bulletin  readers  as  a gardening 
correspondent. 


31 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


growing  interests 


32 


primula  obconica 

Primula  obconica  is  a spectacular 
winter  flowering  house  plant  that  can 
be  grown  easily  if  certain  conditions 
are  met.  For  several  years  I have  grown 
these  beautiful  plants  from  seed,  start- 
ing new  plants  each  year.  I start  the 
seeds  in  June  or  July  and  flowering 
begins  in  December  or  early  January 
and  continues  until  June.  Plants  saved 
over  the  summer  are  usually  not  as 
vigorous  as  new  seedlings. 

Seeds  are  sown  in  small  flats  in 
Jiffy  Mix  and  are  watered  by  soaking. 
Soaking  should  be  the  only  method  of 
watering  until  the  seedlings  are  well- 
established  as  the  seeds  are  very  small. 
The  flats  are  placed  in  a cool  basement 
under  fluorescent  lights  that  are  timed 
to  burn  16  hours  a day.  The  seedlings 
usually  emerge  in  three  weeks  and 
grow  slowly  for  the  next  month.  When 
they  become  crowded,  I divide  them 
and  set  them  back  into  flats  again, 
principally  for  the  ease  of  watering. 
They  could  be  put  in  2 in.  or  3 in.  pots. 

By  late  September  or  October  the 
plants  are  large  enough  to  go  into  their 
permanent  4-in.  pots  and  new  location, 
which  is  a cool  (45  ) greenhouse.  I have 
also  had  success  growing  these  plants 
continuously  under  lights,  but  they 
must  stay  cool,  preferably  below  60°. 
A cool  basement  or  windowsill  with 


lights  would  work.  The  soil  mixture  at 
this  point  should  be  carefully  chosen. 
Good  drainage  is  extremely  important 
or  the  tiny  fibrous  roots  will  rot  in 
the  dark  days  of  the  winter.  I use  equal 
parts  of  compost,  sand  and  Terra  Green 
or  perlite. 

The  primroses  are  then  lined  up  on 
the  greenhouse  bench  and  I wait  for 
the  first  buds  with  great  anticipation. 

In  the  fall  they  are  in  full  sun.  When 
snow  lays  on  the  ground,  the  bright 
sun  of  February  and  March  can  scorch 
the  leaves,  so  shading  or  newspapers 
are  a help  at  this  time.  The  plants  are 
given  a weak  dose  of  Peters  fertilizer 
every  time  they  are  watered.  Once  the 
plants  start  blooming,  they  can  be 
brought  into  a sunny  windowsill  in  a 
warm  house  with  no  problems.  They 
seem  to  need  to  be  cool  to  set  their 
buds. 

Recommended  varieties  are  'Louvre,' 
a pale  salmon  pink;  'Carrousel,'  a 
darker  salmon;  'Bleu  de  Paris,'  a mid- 
blue; and  'Trianon,'  white.  Seeds  are 
available  from  French's,  Route  100, 
Pittsfield,  Vermont  05762. 

Susan  P.  Wilmerding 

Susan  Wilmerding  has  attended  Temple 
University,  Ambler  Campus  but  has  not  yet 
completed  her  studies  in  horticulture.  She 
exhibits  primroses  in  the  Philadelphia  Flower 
and  Garden  Show  every  year. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


photo  by  J.  Blaine  Bonham 


echeveria  x imbricata 


I have  never  grown  succulents;  until 
now  I haven't  had  the  luxury  of  win- 
dows with  a southern  exposure  or  un- 
shaded garden  space.  A move  to  a city 
row  house  with  a two-story  high  flat 
roof  provided  me  with  the  gardening 
conditions  I had  always  lacked.  So 
when  someone  gave  me  an  overgrown 
pot  of  Echeveria  x imbricata  after  the 
Flower  & Garden  Show,  I added  the 
potted  cuttings  to  the  group  of  sun- 
loving  house  plants  and  annuals  I was 
growing  for  the  first  time. 

I first  cut  four  small  rosettes  approxi- 
mately one  inch  in  diameter  with  one 
and  one-half  inch  stems,  removing  all 
butthetightcluster  of  five  or  six  leaves 
at  the  stem  tip.  I allowed  the  ends  of 
the  cuttings  to  callous  overnight.  Select- 
ing an  8-in.  clay  bulb  pan  with  a drain- 
age hole  as  the  home  for  the  echeveria 
rosettes,  I prepared  a planting  medium 
of  50%  sand  and  small  gravel,  25%  peat 
moss,  and  25%  commercially  prepared 
potting  soil.  I knew  the  plant  and  some 
other  succulents  on  the  root  would  be 
exposed  to  the  often  soggy  Philadelphia 
summer,  so  I felt  excellent  drainage 


was  essential.  The  summer  of  1979  bore 
me  out  on  this  one. 

After  the  cuttings  developed  root 
systems  under  my  light  unit,  I moved 
them  to  their  outdoor  perch  on  the 
roof  in  mid-May  on  an  upended  cinder 
block.  They  received  seven  hours  of 
direct  sun  daily.  Then  I settled  into  a 
regular  maintenance  routine  for  the 
next  two  and  a half  months.  When  it 
didn't  rain,  I doused  the  plant  with 
water  every  two  days  (I  hardly  watered 
in  July)  and  fertilized  with  a full 
strength  dosage  of  18-18-18  soluble 
fertilizer  every  three  weeks.  The  plant 
was  rotated  when  I rememberd  to  do  it. 

By  mid-summer  the  four  rosettes 
filled  two-thirds  of  the  pot.  Each  had 
flattened  somewhat  to  become  very 
saucer-like.  The  leaves  were  tipped  in 
red  and  the  glaucous  bluish-grey  bloom 
was  unblemished.  I took  extreme  care 
that  I or  my  guests  resisted  the  tempta- 
tion to  touch  or  mar  the  leaves.  And 
small  offshoots  peeked  out  from  under 
the  lowest  leaves  of  two  of  the  rosettes. 

Eyeing  it  as  a potential  Harvest 
Show  entry,  I placed  large  white  stones 


over  the  visible  soil  to  highlight  the 
plant's  color.  And  its  fertilizing  sched- 
ule was  increased  to  full  strength  dos- 
age weekly.  Its  response  was  better 
than  I had  hoped.  In  one  month,  my 
artistically  arranged  stones  were  com- 
pletely hidden  by  the  four  swelling 
rosettes  and  three  offshoots.  They 
slowly  squeezed  and  crowded  and 
mounded  in  the  pot.  By  Harvest  Show 
time,  eight  rosettes  were  just  beginning 
to  clear  the  lip  of  the  bulb  pan.  Look- 
ing at  that  pot  of  Echeveria  x imbricata, 

I realized  how  opulent  and  magnificent 
succulents  could  be.  I suppose  the 
judges  liked  it,  too.  It  won  a blue  rib- 
bon in  its  class. 

The  plant  is  now  in  my  south-facing 
greenhouse.  I eagerly  await  its  floral 
display  of  pastel  orange  spikes  some- 
time early  this  spring. 

J.  Blaine  Bonham 

• 

J.  Blaine  Bonham  is  director  of  Philadelphia 
Green,  PHS's  urban  outreach  program.  See 
reference  to  his  roof  greenhouse  in  the  story 
on  solar  greenhouses  on  page  7 of  this  issue. 


33 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


growing  interests 


34 


clematis  paniculata 

When  the  old  wooden  porch  at  the 
back  of  our  bungalow  proved  unsatis- 
factory my  husband  and  sons  decided 
to  tear  it  down  and  build  a cement 
patio  in  its  place. 

They  agreed,  however,  to  wait  until 
I transplanted  the  sweet-autumn  cle- 
matis that  was  growing  around  it. 

This  plant  is  one  of  my  favorites. 
Its  flowers  are  as  delicate  as  lace  and 
the  fragrance  is  lovely.  The  dark  green, 
glossy,  heart-shaped  leaves  are  beauti- 
ful, even  when  the  plant  is  not  in  bloom. 

There  were  about  10  plants,  and  I 
had  to  prune  them  somewhat  as  they 
had  been  growing  up  the  pillars  of  the 
porch.  Then  I walked  around  the 
property,  looking  for  an  appropriate 
place  to  put  them.  What  better  place 
than  the  front  bank? 

Here  the  soil  had  washed  away  when 
we  first  moved  in,  and  I had  been  trying 
to  build  a rock  garden  there  over  the 
years.  That  had  proved  difficult,  partly 
because  of  the  steep  angle  of  the  bank. 


and  also  because  of  the  huge  maple  tree 
at  the  top.  This  tree  was  surface  rooted, 
and  of  course  bled  the  garden  of  mois- 
ture and  nutrients. 

But  the  bank  and  the  tree  met  their 
match  in  the  clematis. 

Slowly,  but  surely,  it  dug  down, 
down,  down,  under  rocks  and  tree 
roots,  finding  a foothold  and  spreading 
until  now  it  covers  the  bank,  a lovely 
blanket  of  green  and  white. 

At  the  time  I planted  it,  I used  a 
sharp  weeding  tool  to  make  small 
crevices  in  the  bank,  wedged  the  roots 
in  tightly,  then  after  watering,  packed 
top  soil  firmly  about  the  plants. 

Now  that  it's  established  it  dies 
down  in  the  winter.  In  the  spring  I 
prune  it  if  the  strands  grow  too  long. 

Helen  McGarry  Molineux 

Helen  McGarry  Molineux,  of  Collingdale, 
has  been  writing  and  gardening  since  child- 
hood. She's  published  two  books  of  poetry 
and  is  working  on  a third. 


letter  to  the  editor: 

Among  the  many  free  horticultural  services  available  to 
residents  of  this  area  is  a monthly  single-page  publication, 
called  Gardeners  Want  to  Know,  put  out  by  Paul  N.  Reber, 
county  extension  agent  for  Montgomery  County.  In  it  are 
suggestions,  information,  and  timely  hints  for  indoor  and 
outdoor  gardeners. 

A recent  issue  gave  growing  instructions  for  Christmas 
cactus,  which  were  somewhat  unusual.  Mr.  Reber  explained 
that  these  plants  may  be  brought  into  bloom  without  resort- 


ing to  the  short-day  technique  we  have  always  been  advised 
to  use.  His  suggestion  is  to  keep  the  plant  at  50  -62°F.  to 
get  the  blossoms  to  set;  the  temperature,  rather  than  the 
lighting,  is  the  important  factor.  He  also  advised  keeping 
the  plant  watered  all  year  long  rather  than  giving  it  a resting 
period. 

After  reading  that  I understood  why  the  Christmas  cactus 
in  the  house  next  to  mine  flowers  profusely  on  one  side  only. 
It  is  in  a deep  bay  window  facing  northeast.  In  winter,  the 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


part  of  the  plant  facing  the  window  is  colder  than  the  side 
facing  the  room;  therefore,  only  the  window  side  blooms. 
The  lights  that  are  on  each  evening  in  the  room  have  no 
bearing  on  the  plant's  blooming. 

The  November-December  issue  of  Green  Scene  with  Jan 
Riemer's  article  about  her  Christmas  cactus  gave  the  tradi- 
tional instructions  for  flowering  these  plants.  I thought 
readers  who  have  no  long-dark-night  facilities  for  their  plants 


would  appreciate  this  alternative  method.  An  unheated  sun- 
porch,  cellar  window,  or  even  a garage  window  may  be  all 
you  need  to  get  your  Christmas  cactus  to  bloom. 

As  for  me— I have  neither  long-dark  nor  extra-cool  places 
in  my  house  suitable  for  such  plants.  I'll  just  enjoy  looking 
at  yours,  regardless  of  the  method  you  use  to  get  them  to 
bloom. 

Phyllis  Simpson 
Philadelphia 


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Advertising  copy  should  be  submitted  8 weeks  before  issue  date:  November,  January,  March,  May , July,  September.  Minimum  rate  $10.  Charges 
based  on  $3.00  per  line.  Less  10%  discount  for  two  or  more  consecutive  issues,  using  same  copy.  All  copy  should  be  accompanied  by  check 
made  out  to  PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  and  sent  to  Mary  Elizabeth  Lee,  THE  GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106. 


the  green  scene  • jan.  1980 


Children  and  gardening:  Is  it  caught 
or  taught?  See  story  on  page  13. 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 
MARCH  • APRIL  • 1980 


m 


Unusual  annual  for  the  flower  garden. 
See  page  4. 


m:'* 


* *« 

T jd 


THE 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 


Volume  8,  Number  4 March/April  1980 


in  this  issue 

Commentary:  Cultivating  Rarity:  Good  Business 
or  Selfishness  — More  on  Raraflora 
by  Elizabeth  Hume 


\ 

published  by 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA 

HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY 

325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  19106 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman /Chairman 
Ernesta  D.  Ballard  /President 
Jean  Byrne / Editor 

PUBLICATIONS  COMMITTEE 
Adele  G.  Greenfield  /Chair 
Rubye  Beckett 
C.  Stuart  Brown 
Barbara  Hesse  Emerson 
Herbert  W.  Goodall,  Jr. 

George  M.  Harding 
Bobette  Leidner 
Dorothy  S.  Young 

Designer:  Julie  Baxendell 
Baxendell  Design  Associates 

Color  Separations:  Lincoln  Graphics,  Inc. 
Printer:  Judson  Printing 


5 Unusual  Annuals  for  the  Flower  Garden 
by  Barbara  Bruno 

8 Tree  Wisteria  by  William  H.  Frederick,  Jr. 

1 1 Magnolias  for  Gardens  in  the  Delaware  Valley 

by  Judith  Zuk 

14  The  Legal  Problems  of  Cultivating  Your  Own 
Garden  by  Saul  S.  Wiener 

18  Books  and  the  Green  World:  A Book  that  Almost 
Wrote  Itself  by  Franklin  H.  West 

24  Seed  Preservation  by  Howard  J.  Holden 

26  Constructing  a Mountain  Brook  with  a Rock 
Garden  by  Werner  Kirmse 

29  The  Comforts  of  Comfrey  by  Jan  Riemer 

30  The  Horticultural  Photographer 
by  L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman 

34  Growing  Interests 


THE  GREEN  SCENE,  (USPS  955580)  Volume 
8,  No.  4,  published  bimonthly,  January,  March, 
May,  July,  September,  November,  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  a non-profit 
membership  organization  at  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106.  Subscription:  $7.50  — 
Single  Copy:  $1.50.  Second  class  postage  paid 
at  Philadelphia,  PA  19104. 

POSTMASTER:  Send  Form  No.  3579  to  THE 
GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia, PA  19106. 

©Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  1980 


35  Classified  Advertising 

Front  Nigella  damascena  with  old  roses  and  the  yellow 
Cover:  foam  of  lady's  mantle.  See  page  5. 

photo  by  Barbara  Bruno 

Back  Aquilegia  sp.  See  page  30. 

Cover:  photo  by  L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman 

Alexander  Crosby  died  in  February . We'll  miss  him. 

A man  who  cared  about  writing  and  plants  equally, 
his  warm,  witty  and  wise  contributions  to  Green 
Scene  were  valued.  We  were  fortunate  to  have  him 
on  the  Publications  Committee  for  the  last  two  and 
a half  years. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


COMMENTARY 


Cultivating  Rarity  • • • 
Good  Business  or  Selfishness 


More  on  Raraflora  1 1 

To  the  Editor: 

Reading  Betsy  Shuman's  article  on 
the  fate  of  Raraflora  in  the  January 
Green  Scene,  I weep,  as  I did  one  bright 
golden  afternoon  last  November,  when 
I was  present  at  that  poorly  attended 
auction.  I weep  not  so  much  for  the 
fate  of  the  plants  and  the  grounds,  for 
that  indeed,  seemed  inevitable.  The 
$500  deposit  to  procure  the  right  to 
bid  precluded  many  of  us  who  cared, 
but  had  modest  pocketbooks,  from 
participating  that  day.  My  despair  for 
the  living  plants,  totally  at  the  mercy 
of  those  who  would  milk  them  for  their 
ephemeral  financial  value,  was  over- 
ridden by  despair  for  that  segment  of 
mankind  who  fall  prey,  not  to  the 
disease  of  power,  but  to  the  disease  of 
rarity:  a different  illusion  altogether, 
but  equally  devastating  in  consequence. 

One  can  collect  objects— crafts  made 
by  people.  One  collects  for  fascination, 
love,  or  for  financial  investment— or  all. 
One  does  so  knowing  that  the  enjoy- 
ment is  limited  by  mortality,  that  "you 
can't  take  it  with  you."  Yet  how  many 
times,  especially  around  this  wealthy 
city,  do  you  come  across  the  enormous 
collection  of  Chinese  export  porcelain, 
or  American  pewter,  or  moustache 
combs,  being  amassed  for  selfish  gratifi- 
cation with  nary  a thought  for  what 
later  becomes  of  it?  In  the  case  of  liv- 
ing things,  especially  plants  on  estates, 
the  problem  is  compounded  by  the 
very  fact  that  the  collection  is  living— 
and  mortal,  that  it  must  have  roots  in 
solid  earth  or  pots.  The  attachment  to 
the  land  compoundsthe  problem  when 
the  proprietor  wants  to  remain  in  con- 
trol, wants  to  leave  relatives  something 
of  worth  (land  to  be  subdivided  after 
the  plants  are  removed! ),  yet  continues 
the  same  life  style,  thus,  perhaps,  cur- 
tailing any  kind  of  maintenance  trust. 


I am  angered  at  the  attitude  that  it 
is  essential  to  keep  the  rare  plant  rare, 
huddled  in  obscurity  behind  hedges 
and  dogs  for  the  very  sake  of  its  unique- 
ness, and  the  fame  that  brings  its  owner. 
Had  all  the  great  plantsmen  of  the  1 8th 
and  19th  centuries  hoarded  their  finds 
in  tight  little  guarded  greenhouses, 
think  how  lacking  our  ornamental  plant 
world  would  be  today.  What  of  all  our 
present  endangered  native  species, 
many  of  them  no  longer  found  in  their 

Had  all  the  great  plantsmen  of 
the  18th  and  19th  centuries 
hoarded  their  finds  in  tight  little 
guarded  greenhouses,  think  how 
lacking  our  ornamental  plant 
world  would  be  today. 

native  habitat,  but  some  scattered  in 
small  arboreta,  foundations,  or  private 
estates?  In  many  cases  they  remain 
lone  specimens,  subject  to  death  from 
weather,  disease,  pests,  and  man's  mis- 
handling. Like  the  owners  of  Raraflora, 
the  people  who  delight  in  unique  speci- 
mens for  the  sake  of  their  rarity  (with- 
out recognizing  the  ultimate  responsi- 
bility to  future  generations  of  plant 
lovers)  fail  to  understand  that  steward- 
ship is  inherent  in  the  responsibility  of 
ownership.  Stewardship  of  a fortune, 
be  it  in  art  objects,  or  thoroughbred 
animals,  or  rare  plants— means  one 
thing:  responsible  care  both  now  and 
for  the  future,  including  proper  records 
of  acquisition,  location,  multiplication 
and  dispersement  (in  case  of  living 
things),  and  eventual  future  ownership, 
with  provisions  for  financial  manage- 
ment. Plant  owners  who  fail  to  plan 

Elizabeth  Hume  is  an  alumna  of  Barnes 
Foundation  School  of  the  Arboretum.  For 
two  years,  she  directed  a horticultural  ther- 
apy program  at  Liberty  Forge  School  in 
Phoenixville  , Pa.  At  present  she  is  a horticul- 
tural consultant. 


ahead  in  this  manner  need  to  remember 
the  first  and  best  lesson  gardening  ever 
taught  any  of  us,  that  is  to  share,  to 
give.  It  is  only  through  this  open  atti- 
tude that  the  continued  viability  of  a 
species  can  be  insured  and  handed  down 

No,  the  Bergmans  could  have  done 
it  differently.  I remember  when  an 
estate  in  Penn  Valley  was  broken  up 
and  subdivided  and  all  the  magnificent 
azaleas  that  could  be  moved,  were  re- 
moved to  a small  community  park. 
The  larger  old  specimens  remained  and 
became  an  integral  part  of  new  smaller 
yards,  providing  instant  enjoyment 
and  value  for  those  moving  in.  What 
were  moved  to  the  park  provide  an 
annual  spectacle  and  labor  for  a dedi- 
cated garden  club  in  Merion.  For  those 
with  large  incomes,  the  very  least  they 
can  do  is  take  a tax  benefit  from  giving 
or  willing  their  prizes  either  to  respon- 
sible individuals,  institutions,  or  com- 
munity organizations  capable  of  recog- 
nizing the  worth  and  caring  appropri- 
ately. Even  the  smallest  place  can 
become  a pocket  environmental  learn- 
ing center— for  young  persons,  elderly 
deprived,  or  disabled  people.  As  our 
population  becomes  more  dense,  the 
need  for  green  spaces  will  intensify. 
The  caring  steward  of  land  and  a good 
collection  should  research  the  needs  of 
both  the  immediate  community— town- 
ship, nearby  colleges,  church  groups, 
and  the  larger  community,  checking 
with  local  and  regional  planning  boards. 
Thorough  understanding  of  intentions 
and  a contract  commitment  on  the  part 
of  the  giver  and  receiver  should  bring 
peace  of  mind,  and  the  assurance  that 
wishes  will  be  carried  out. 

In  the  Orient,  unique  specimens  of 
bonsai  culture  have  been  handed  down 
through  centuries,  generation  after 
generation  venerating  the  inheritance 
with  infinite  care  and  stewardship.  Can 
we  not  learn  this  lesson? 

Elizabeth  Hume 

Penllyn,  PA 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Salvia  farinacea  grows  with  cheerful  zinnias. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Plants  that  are  seeded  and  that  bloom  in  the  same  year  are  great  favor- 
ites with  many  gardeners.  These  annuals  give  quick  results,  their  great  burst 
of  color  blanketing  new  flower  beds  in  short  order.  In  established  gardens 
these  abundant  bloomers  are  welcomed  to  fill  bare  spaces  and  to  provide 
color  when  perennial  plants  flag.  Seed  catalogs  list  dizzying  numbers  of 
annuals.  The  diversity  in  flower  shape  and  color  is  staggering,  and  plant 
size  varies  from  diminutive  to  gigantic.  There  is  an  annual  to  fit  almost  any 
situation  and  soil  condition  if  it  is  provided  with  their  one  common  require- 
ment—sun. 

All  too  often  gardeners  choose  the  same  few  varieties  from  the  seeds- 
men's lavish  offerings.  These  old  friends  are  tried  and  true,  but  many  lesser 
known  annuals  are  as  dependable  and  have  unique  characteristics  that  can 
turn  a run-of-the-mill  planting  into  one  of  unusual  charm. 

elusive  blue 

One  of  the  rarest  and  most  telling  colors  among  garden  flowers  is  blue. 

A few  blooms  of  sky  blue  azure,  rich  sapphire,  or  gray  misted  Spode  blue 
are  a welcome  addition  to  any  color  scheme  whether  it  is  one  of  sunny  yel- 
lows, pastel  pinks,  or  vivid  reds.  I try  to  have  some  blue  hued  flowers  in- 
cluded in  my  plans  for  every  season  and  depend  heavily  on  annuals  to 
accomplish  that.  Fortunately,  I can  choose  from  a number  of  lovely,  but 

continued 

the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Unusual 
Annuals 
for  the 
Flower 
Garden 

^ by  Barbara  Bruno 


Unusual  Annuals 

tor  the  Flower  Garden  continued 


easily  grown  flowers. 

If  I were  asked  to  name  my  favorite 
annual  in  any  shade  it  would  beNigella 
damascena , love-in-a-mist,  of  clear  blue 
blooms  delicately  embraced  by  the 
finest  filligree  of  green  threads.  Its 
flowers  arrive  at  just  the  right  moment 
to  complement  the  pastel  showers  of 
old  roses  or  combined  with  the  con- 
trasting yellow  foam  of  lady's  mantle, 
Alchemilla  vulgaris,  they  look  even 
lovelier.  Fall  germinating  seed  provides 
the  most  vigorous,  floriferous  plants, 
which  survive  all  but  the  most  bitter  of 
winters  on  well  drained  soil.  After 
bloom,  decorative  inflated  seedpods 
form,  stained  with  vinous  stripes  and 
still  coquettishly  wrapped  by  the  feath- 
ery involucre. 

Just  as  the  blue  eyes  of  Nigella  are 
winking  their  last  in  late  June,  tall 
spikes  of  larkspur,  Consolida  orientalis, 
paint  the  garden  in  splashes  of  a resplend- 
ent indigo-purple,  which  serves  as  blue 
in  this  time  of  robustly  tinted  bloom. 

It  makes  a fine  color  contrast  massed 
behind  brilliant  orange  daylilies  and 
lavender  or,  combined  with  the  pale 
yellow  of  Achillea  'Moonshine,'  it  cools 
the  brassiness  of  the  season's  golden 
daisies.  Again,  look  for  a blue  color 
selection  rather  than  a mixture,  or  if 
the  single  hue  is  unavailable,  plant  a 
mixed  packet  and  rogue  out  all  un- 
wanted colors  as  they  appear.  Since 
larkspur  will  obligingly  reseed,  eventu- 
ally you  will  have  a stand  of  rich  color. 

I started  growing  Echium  vulgare 
after  admiring  it  in  the  herb  garden  of 
a Society  member.  No  doubt  longing 
for  the  richer  loam  of  a Pennsylvania 
garden,  it  does  not  grow  in  the  Bridge- 
ton  (N.J.)  area  with  great  vigor,  but  it  is 
still  quite  pretty  in  a wild,  old-fashioned 
sort  of  way.  Its  small  but  numerous 
flowers  scattered  along  hairy  stems  are 
much  loved  by  bees.  Choose  the  blue- 
or  try  the  mixed  hybrids  in  sugary, 
pastel  tones  grading  imperceptibly  from 
pink  through  lavender  to  sky  blue  and 
engagingly  described  as  “bee's  paradise." 

Cornflowers,  Centaurea  cyanus,  are 
not  uncommon  flowers,  but  sometimes 
we  need  reminding  of  the  merits  of 
neglected  old  dears  such  as  these.  Corn- 


flower blue  describes  the  rich  distinc- 
tive tone  that  stands  out  clearly  and 
brightly  in  the  garden.  Just  a dash  of  it 
in  the  spring  border  and  all  colors  take 
on  new  life.  On  well  drained  soil  the 
earliest  and  most  vigorous  plants  are  to 
be  had  from  sowing  the  seeds  in  the 
fall;  spring  planting  will  bring  a succes- 
sion of  bloom.  A clump  of  strong  blue 
is  to  be  preferred  in  the  garden  to  the 

One  of  the  rarest  and  most  telling 
among  garden  flowers  is  blue. 


confetti  effect  of  mixed  shades.  Corn- 
flowers are  available  in  a dwarf  form 
with  flowers  in  a clump  or  in  a tall, 
older,  more  graceful  variety. 

The  heavenly  color  of  skies  and  seas 
and  baby  blue  eyes  continues  in  the 
midsummer  garden  in  the  guise  of 
mealy-cup  sage  (Salvia  farinacea).  This 
half  hardy  annual  with  innumerable, 
fragrant  spikes  of  small  flowers  is  offer- 
ed in  several  blues,  varying  from  pale 
Wedgewood  to  a rich,  velvety,  royal 
hue.  The  heavier  spikes  of  recent 
hybrids  colored  in  the  same  vibrant 
tone  as  the  blooms  are  showier.  Com- 
bine the  salvia  with  late  blooming  day- 
lilies  in  pearly  melon  tones,  or  pair  it 
with  daisies,  dahlias,  or  the  brightest 
shades  of  zinnias,  and  you  will  find 
that  it  unfailingly  enhances  any  flower 
with  which  it  grows.  A favorite  with 
bees,  a soft,  sweet  fragrance  clings  even 
to  dried  stems  used  in  winter  flower 
arrangements.  It  adds  the  grace  note  of 
true  blue  to  the  garden  well  into  late 
fall,  constantly  increasing  in  loveliness 
until  a hard  frost  cuts  short  its  display, 
but  here,  where  chilling  moisture  never 
stands,  this  Texas  native  will  winter 
over  to  bloom  longer  and  even  more 
abundantly  next  season  as  likely  as  not. 

old  favorites  in  new  dress 

At  one  time  or  another  most  of  us 
have  grown  nasturtiums,  zinnias,  and 
marigolds.  This  year  why  not  try  one 
of  the  more  unusual  members  of  these 
popular  clans? 

Even  without  bloom  the  variegated 
Nasturtium  'Alaska,'  with  leaves 
splotched  and  dashed  in  creamy  white, 


catches  the  eye.  When  it  finally  hangs 
its  multihued  lanterns  above  the  bi- 
colored foliage  they  seem  twice  as  bril- 
liant as  those  decorating  an  ordinary 
plant. 

Zinnia  angustifolia  (Z.  linearis  of 
catalogs)  is  a cat's  cradle  of  wiry  stems 
sprouting  linear  leaves  and  dotted  with 
plentiful,  golden-orange  daisies  of 
cheerful  demeanor.  Each  flower  petal 
is  neatly  striped  in  delicious  lemon, 
creating  an  optical  version  of  orange 
marmalade. 

Another  favorite,  Tagetes  tenuifolia, 
the  signet  marigold,  is  the  progenitor 
of  a heady,  perfumed  lemon  scent  re- 
leased by  the  slightest  touch  to  the 
foliage.  To  me,  its  refreshing  bouquet 
is  the  plant's  most  prized  attribute.  I 
also  valu.e  the  neat  mound  of  ferny 
foliage,  starred  by  late  summer  in 
countless,  small  blooms  that  make  quite 
a show.  The  dwarf  cultivar  Pumila  is 
offered  in  several  shades,  among  them, 
an  astonishing  tangerine  red  called 
'Paprika,'  but  the  citrusy  yellows  and 
oranges  are  easier  to  work  into  the  gar- 
den scheme. 

colored  leaved  annuals 

PeriHa  frutescens  'Atropurpurea'  and 
purple  basil,  Ocimum  basilicum  'Pur- 
purascens,'  are  both  culinary  herbs 
useful  in  the  flower  garden  where  the 
contrast  of  burgundy  leaves  would  be 
welcome.  Although  it  has  similar  value 
in  the  garden, Perilla  is  much  the  easiest 
to  grow  and  maintain.  It  is  larger  and 
showier,  and  once  plants  are  raised  and 
seed  formed  you  can  be  sure  of  a more 
than  ample  supply  of  self-sown  seed- 
lings in  future  years.  Waved  and  notched 
leaves  add  texture  to  the  garden.  The 
warm  brown  seed  spikes,  strung  with 
tiny  calyx  bells,  remain  attractive  late 
into  the  fall. 

For  best  effect,  thin  the  clumps  of 
seedlings  and  remove  the  helter-skelter 
plants  popping  out  all  over  the  beds. 
The  temptation  is  to  leave  too  many 
of  these  pretty  seedlings  dotting  the 
border,  thereby  losing  the  striking 
effect  of  a single,  deep  burgundy  clump. 
Once  the  hordes  of  unwanted  seedlings 
have  been  dealt  with,  Perilla  needs  little 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


care,  an  advantage  for  the  busy  garden- 
er when  compared  with  the  constant 
pinching  out  of  bloom  spikes  needed 
to  keep  purple  basil  shapely  and  pro- 
ducing new  growth.  Perilla  will  also 
grow  in  partial  shade,  but  unless  placed 
against  a lighter  toned  background  the 
shadowy  leaves  are  barely  discernible. 

It  is  late  summer  before  the  clumps  are 
seen  at  their  best.  With  that  in  mind 
use  it  with  gay,  summer  daisies,  to 
complement  late  blooming  daylilies  of 
the  peach,  pale  yellow  or  bronze  varie- 
ties, or  for  autumn  beauty,  grow  it 
with  silver  leaved  plants  and  frame  the 
grouping  with  a lavender  wreath  of  tall 
asters. 

delicate  treasures 

Silene  armeria,  sweet  William  catch- 
fly,  is  a pretty,  old-fashioned  plant  bear- 
ing heads  of  tiny,  five-petaled  flowers 
in  a brilliant  raspberry  pink.  Seed  sown 


in  early  spring  will  bloom  abundantly, 
just  in  time  to  accompany  old  roses 
and  foxgloves,  but  once  established, 
flowers  are  to  be  found  at  any  season. 

(I  write  this  in  November  with  a sprig 
of  its  pert  buds  and  cheerful  bloom  on 
the  table  before  me.)  While  placing 
this  raspberry  pink  needs  thought— reds 
and  oranges  should  not  hobnob  with 
it— any  pastel  flowers  are  most  flattered 
in  its  presence,  and  it  combines  especi- 
ally well  with  gray  leaved  plants.  One 
year  it  self-sowed  around  the  base  of  a 
majestic,  silver  thistle  creating  a par- 
ticularly lovely  picture. 

Another  willowy  annual  is  Linum 
grandiflorum.  This  lithe  member  of 
the  flax  family  balances  wide-eyed 
bloom  “the  color  of  red  wine  held  up 
to  the  light"  on  graceful,  erect  stems 
clothed  sparsely  with  small  linear  leaves. 
Easily  rasied  from  seed  sown  early  in 
spring,  it  is  reputed  to  self-sow  freely. 
Regrettably,  that  has  not  happened 
here  so  far,  but  I'll  continue  to  try  to 
make  a home  for  it  since  its  gypsy  color 
adds  such  a dash  of  spice  to  the  garden. 

Dyssodia  tenuiloba  is  a small  gem 
of  a plant  that  would  be  as  much  at 
home  in  the  rock  garden  as  it  is  here 
among  the  ground  hugging  thymes. 
Dahlberg  daisy  is  the  sobriquet  given 
this  mound  of  delicate,  ferny  foliage 
topped  by  blossoms  the  color  of  liquid 
sunshine.  The  ’A-in.  flowers  are  plenti- 
fully produced  over  a long  period  and 
make  quite  a show  despite  their  dimin- 
utive dimensions.  This  plant  can  be 
used  to  good  advantage  as  sunny  edg- 
ing to  sedate  shrubbery  verges  or  to 
blanket  sleeping  spring  bulbs. 

golden  poppies 

As  a lover  of  poppies  in  all  their 
various  guises  I was  delighted  to  dis- 
covertwo  sunny,  summer  annuals  bear- 
ing the  magic,  cupped  blooms  of 
ephemeral  delicacy  that  proclaim,  "I 
am  a poppy."  Both  are  American  wild- 
lings  which,  having  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  early  botanists,  were  soon  rub- 
bing blossoms  with  more  genteel  deni- 
zens of  the  world  inside  the  garden 
gate.  Indeed,  the  first  of  this  duet  with 
which  I made  acquaintance  bloomed 


for  Thomas  Jefferson  at  Monticello, 
and  it  was  there  that  I admired  and 
bought  seed  of  Argemone  grandiflora. 
This  Mexican  native  with  scalloped, 
thistlelike  leaves  is  armored  with 
fearsome  needles  inspiring  its  descrip- 
tive pseudonym,  prickly  poppy.  The 
satiny,  yellow  flowers  centered  with  a 
ring  of  stamens  soon  flutter  away,  but 
others  are  always  delicately  unfolding 
their  crinkly  petals  to  take  the  place  of 
spent  blooms.  Seed  of  A.  mexicana  is 
more  easily  secured.  It  is  a similar 
species  with  glaucous,  deeply  lobed 
leaves  penciled  in  pale  veining  and 
ornamented  with  devilish  prickles. 
Above  the  leaves  clear  yellow  saucers 
reflect  the  summer  sun. 

The  cupped,  golden  blooms  of 
Hunnemannia  fumariifolia,  the  Mexican 
tulip  poppy,  bears  a resemblance  to 
those  of  its  cousin,  the  California  poppy, 
but  a frame  of  rich,  glaucous  fringe 
composed  of  finely  divided,  blue-green 
foliage  makes  these  four-petaled,  citrusy 
blossoms  appear  particularly  clean  and 
refreshing  under  a cloudless,  midsum- 
mer sky. 

Here  are  just  a few  of  the  seed  cata- 
logs' worthy  offerings.  The  pleasures 
these  lists  extend  to  the  adventurous 
gardener  are  many.  First,  the  engrossing 
task  of  combing  diverse  inventories  for 
unusual  varieties.  Then,  as  we  peruse 
the  vast  world  of  horticultural  refer- 
ences, we  run  the  risk  of  becoming  en- 
snared in  the  enchanting  web  of  the 
green  world's  facts  and  fancies.  Histori- 
cal allusions  and  illuminating  snatches 
of  information  lead  us  deeper  into  the 
maze,  so  that,  before  we  know  it,  time 
has  fled  and  we  have  learned  more 
about  the  green  and  growing  universe. 
After  these  delights  comes  the  arresting 
task  of  encouraging  the  new  garden 
finery  through  the  sunlight  and  showers, 
heat  and  chill  of  its  yearly  cycle.  I urge 
you,  then,  to  expand  your  gardening 
enjoyment  by  considering  a few  of  the 
lesser  known,  but  meritorious  annuals. 

• 

Barbara  Bruno  is  a frequent  contributor  to 
Green  Scene.  She  is  working  onabookabout 
herbs  in  the  garden. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photographs  by  Wm.  H.  Frederick , Jr. 


(^)  by  William  H.  Frederick,  Jr. 

maximum  flower  bud  production. 
Branches  are  trained  to  occur  in  whorls 
(three  to  five  to  a whorl).  Vertical  dis- 
tance between  branch  whorls  as  well  as 
the  distance  of  the  first  branch  whorl 
from  the  ground  should  be  a minimum 
of  36  in.  so  that  the  blossoms  on  each 
branch  hang  free  and  are  uncrowded. 

My  own  trees  are  mostly  1 0 ft.- 1 2 
ft.  in  height  and  vary  from  9 ft. -12  ft. 
in  greatest  spread.  A few  have  two 
whorls  of  branches;  most  have  three. 

Wisterias  never  develop  stems  strong 
enough  to  remain  completely  unsup- 
ported. Therefore,  I feel  it  is  essential 
to  face  this  fact  in  the  beginning  and 
put  in  a strong  permanent  vertical  sup- 
port before  the  vine  is  even  planted.  I 
have  used  1%-in.  galvanized  pipe  with 
2-ft.  sections  welded  at  right  angles 
near  the  base  and  placed  4 ft.  in  the 
ground  embedded  in  concrete  (see  illus- 
tration). This  insures  that  your  tree 
will  not  tilt  in  heavy  windstorms  and 
means  you  can  securely  lean  a ladder 
against  the  support  when  pruning.  The 
above-ground  portion  of  my  support 
graduatesdown  in  diameter  from  1%-in. 
pipe  to  V/2  in.  at  the  first  whorl  of 
branches  and  to  1%  in.  at  the  second 
whorl  of  branches.  The  top  is  capped 
with  a standard  pipe  cap.  They  have 
been  left  unpainted,  have  weathered 
gray  and  are  unobstrusive  in  appearance. 

The  plant  requires  full  sun  on  all 
sides;  sites  should  be  selected  accord- 
ingly. Wisterias  are  not  fussy  about 
soil.  Too  rich  a soil  is  actually  a disad- 
vantage, encouraging  such  an  abun- 
dance of  growth  that  the  pruning  chore 
is  increased  and  flower  bud  initiation 
may  be  depressed.  In  extreme  winters, 
like  the  last  two,  harsh  winds  combined 
with  low  temperatures  can  injure  flow- 
er buds.  For  this  reason  a site  protected 
from  the  northwest  wind  but  with  good 
air  and  soil  drainage  is  desirable. 
Aesthetically,  the  plants  may  be  used 
in  a formal  setting  or  grouped,  as  mine 
are,  as  an  informal  grove  on  a hillside. 
Since  each  plant  is  "custom  made" 
their  size  and  proportions  can  be 
created  to  fit  the  spot. 

Once  the  vine  is  planted  at  the  base 
of  the  pipe  support,  the  next  few  years 
(probably  four  to  five)  should  be  char- 
acterized by  patience,  occasional  prun- 
ing and  "tying  in."  The  timing  of  the 


Tree  Wisteria 


The  finished  product.  Garden  of  Mrs.  W.  K.  duPont,  1964. 


A tree  wisteria  is  a vine  that  has  been 
trained  to  grow  like  a tree.  It  never 
occurs  naturally.  Its  existence  depends 
on  the  skill  of  a caring  gardener.  It  is 
created  by  the  art  of  pruning.  It  is  really 
a piece  of  living  sculpture,  and  can 
therefore  be  classified  as  topiary.  Most 
topiaries,  however,  are  grown  for  their 
foliage  and  form  only,  whereas  tree 
wisterias  are  grown  for  their  spectacular 
blossoms  as  well. 

I first  encountered  tree  wisterias  in 
the  garden  of  a very  distinguished  gar- 
dener of  my  grandparents'  generation 
here  in  Wilmington.  Mrs.  William  K. 
duPont,  during  her  garden  years  at 
"Stillpond,"  had  created  several  "trees" 
1 0 ft. -1 2 ft.  in  height  and  10  ft.- 1 5 ft. 
in  spread.  There  were  pinks,  purples 
and  whites,  and  they  were  all  the  long- 
flowered,  fragrant  Wisteria  fioribunda. 
They  were  breathtakingly  beautiful  in 
bloom  and  I resolved  to  attempt  this 
method  of  training  in  my  own  garden. 
The  results  have  been  a great  joy. 

The  system  of  training,  which  I will 
describe,  has  been  evolved  with  Wisteria 
fioribunda  specifically  in  mind  and  it 
and  its  cultivars  are  the  plants  I would 
recommend  for  the  purpose.  Unlike 


the  more  common  Wisteria  sinensis, 
Wisteria  fioribunda  has  inflorescences 
anywhere  from  12  in. -36  in.  long  as 
well  as  a delicious  fragrance.  A well- 
flowered  vine  resembles  a cascade  and 
you  can  choose  either  single  or  double 
flowered  forms  in  the  color  range  men- 
tioned above.  Wayside  Gardens  in 
Hodges,  South  Carolina,  is  the  only 
firm  I have  been  able  to  find  listing 
Wisteria  fioribunda  cultivars  retail. 
Your  local  garden  center  can  obtain 
them  for  you  from  two  wholesale 
sources,  Princeton  Nurseries  and  Gulf 
Stream  Nurseries.  (If  you  wish  to  study 
Wisteria  fioribunda  cultivars  before 
making  a selection  see  the  collection  at 
the  Arthur  Hoyt  Scott  Horticultural 
Foundation  at  Swarthmore  College.) 

the  structure 

The  success  of  this  method  of  train- 
ing depends  on  creating  a strong  struc- 
ture of  trunk  and  horizontal  branches 
with  lower  branches  the  longest,  and 
branch  length  diminishing  the  closer 
they  are  to  the  top  of  the  tree.  The 
practical  reason  for  this  system  of 
pruning  is  that  it  allows  maximum  light 
to  reach  all  branches  thus  insuring 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


pruning  should  simply  be  on  an  "as 
needed"  basis.  Two  or  three  shoots 
should  be  tied  up  against  the  pipe  as 
candidates  for  the  "trunk"  and  all 
other  shoots  should  be  kept  cut  off. 
After  the  first  winter  select  the  strong- 
est shoot  for  the  trunk  and  cut  the 
others  off.  This  shoot  should  be  allowed 
to  grow  until  it  reaches  the  point  where 
the  first  whorl  of  branches  is  desired.  It 
should  be  nipped  here  to  encourage  the 
development  of  side  branches.  Once  ade 
quate  branching  has  occurred,  again 
train  several  shoots  upward,  eventually 
selecting  one  for  the  continuation  of 
the  "trunk."  Repeat  the  process  where 
the  next  whorl  of  branches  is  desired, 
etc.  The  number  of  branches  in  each 
whorl  should  be  no  more  than  five  (to 
avoid  overcrowding  the  blossoms)  and 
fewest  in  the  upper  whorls  where 
branches  are  shorter.  The  branches 
should  be  kept  short  at  this  stage,  both 
to  allow  the  trunk  time  to  increase 
diameter  and  to  allow  strong  branch 
unions  to  develop.  The  longer  branches 
can  be  grown  later.  I am  always  con- 
cerned about  snow  and  ice  damage  to 
mature  tree  wisterias  and,  therefore, 
feel  that  it  is  bestto  limit  branch  length 
to  a maximum  of  5 ft.  for  fear  too 
much  weight  on  the  branches  in  the 
wintertime  will  tear  them  from  the 
trunk.  As  pointed  out  earlier,  upper 
branches  are,  of  course,  shorter  than 
lower  ones. 

I use  "tarred  twine"  (available  from 
our  local  paper  and  twine  store)  for 
tying  the  branch  to  the  pipe  support. 
This  material  lasts  for  better  than  1 2 
months,  so  I feel  satisfied  that  my 
plants  are  securely  fastened  between 
annual  prunings.  I try  to  keep  the  trunk 
from  wrapping  around  the  pipe  both 
because  I feel  it  will  look  more  tree-like 
if  it  does  not  and  because  it  would  be 
more  difficult  to  replace  the  support  if 
that  were  ever  necessary.  I use  a clove 
hitch  around  the  pipe  support  to  keep 
the  tie  from  slipping  vertically  (before 
going  twice  around  the  wisteria  plant). 


The  relationship  of  pipe  support  and  trunk 


pruning 

After  the  structure  of  the  plant  has 
developed,  the  first  objective  of  prun- 
ing becomes  bloom  development,  then 
remedial  structural  repair.  For  this  rea- 
son, timing  of  pruning  becomes  critical. 

continued 


The  beginning  of  a replacement  branch 


After  pruning 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Tree  Wisteria  rlimimcrJ 


Pruning  to  two  buds.  Before  at  top  and  after  below. 


A single  branch  before  pruning. 


The  author  does  the  job. 


10 


Blossom  buds  form  on  current  year's 
wood.  If  current  growth,  which  can  be 
6 ft. -12  ft.  long,  is  all  cut  off  there  will 
be  no  flowers  the  following  year.  If 
the  growth  is  not  cut  off  a great  tangle 
results  and  the  topiary  loses  its  char- 
acter. The  trick  is  to  allow  the  new 
growth  to  complete  its  major  spring 
spurt  before  pruning,  which  I usually 
do  by  July  4th.  Then  cut  it  all  back 
except  for  a few  buds  immediately  next 
to  the  old  wood.  My  pruning,  therefore, 
usually  takes  place  in  early  July,  and  I 
leave  the  first  two  buds  (next  to  the 
old  wood)  on  each  shoot,  unless  these 
seem  weak  and  the  third  or  fourth  buds 
seem  stronger.  It  is  a matter  of  judgment 
After  I have  done  my  bloom  prun- 
ing I then  stand  back  and  study  the 
tree  from  the  point  of  view  of  aesthet- 
ics of  shape,  need  for  thinning  and 
branch  replacement.  Occasionally,  a 


branch  will  get  too  long  or  too  heavy 
and  I will  shorten  it  or  thin  it  out  to 
prevent  snow  and  ice  damage.  Where  a 
branch  has  been  lost  a new  shoot  can 
be  trained  over  to  take  its  place.  It  is 
at  this  time  of  year  that  I also  replace 
all  tarred  twine  holding  the  main  trunk 
to  the  pipe  support.  I also  check  the 
ground  around  the  base  of  the  trunk 
for  any  shoots  that  may  be  surfacing 
from  the  root  and  remove  these. 

In  some  years,  especially  wet  ones, 
additional  shoots  will  be  put  out  after 
the  July  pruning.  I check  the  trees  over 
in  late  September  and  remove  the  new 
shoots,  which  isn't  usually  a major  chore. 

Once  the  plant  is  established,  the 
annual  pruning  takes  no  more  than  a 
couple  of  hours  per  tree.  I use  no  ferti- 
lizer and  have  had  no  insect  or  disease 
problems.  For  anyone  who  enjoys  the 
art  and  craft  of  gardening  the  process 


is  thoroughly  satisfying:  the  pleasure 
of  designing  and  creating  living  sculp- 
ture, as  well  as  a good  chance  for  lots 
of  blooms  every  year.  For  such  a small 
annual  effort  the  rewards  are  great. 

The  great  cascades  of  blossoms  come 
around  May  15th  in  Wilmington,  Dela- 
ware, after  the  passion  of  azalea  season 
is  past  or  waning.  The  peaceful,  ethereal 
quality  of  the  wisteria  display  is  wel- 
come, and  the  weather  has  moderated 
sufficiently  so  that  outdoor  living  has 
just  begun.  We  often  give  a party  in 
honor  of  our  tree  wisterias;  it's  such  a 
special  moment. 

• 

William  H.  Frederick,  Jr. .practices  landscape 
architecture  in  Hockessin,  Delaware,  special- 
izing in  residential  garden  design.  He  is  the 
author  of  WO  Great  Garden  Plants  (Alfred 
A.  Knopf,  1975)  and  teaches  a seminar  on 
Planting  Design  at  the  University  of  Delaware. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photos  by  author 


Magnolia  'Ann.'  National  Arboretum  Magnolia. 

Magnolias  for 
Gardens  in  the 
Delaware  valley 

(^)  by  Judith  D.  Zuk 


Magnolias  are  satisfying  year-round. 
In  the  spring  I find  myself  wandering 
into  strangers'  gardens  to  admire  their 
trees  as  soon  as  the  display  begins  with 
the  delicate  white  flowered  anise  mag- 
nolia (Magnolia  salicifolia)  in  early 
April.  By  May  I'm  attracted  to  our 
native  American  species  when  they 
start  producing  their  creamy  flowers 
after  their  leaves  emerge.  Once  I've 
taken  softwood  cuttings,  summer 
brings  me  a little  rest,  with  only  an 
occasional  sporadic  blossom  to  be  seen 
on  some  varieties  among  their  neat  foli- 
age. In  the  fall  I anxiously  wait  for  the 
large  oblong  fruits  to  split  open  to 
reveal  their  brilliant  red  seeds,  signaling 
to  me  it  is  time  to  collect  and  tuck  the 
seeds  away  in  the  refrigerator  for  sow- 
ing in  several  months.  At  last  winter 
comes,  and  a walk  in  the  snow  reveals 
beautiful  twisting  branch  patterns  and 
fuzzy,  silvery  buds  against  a blue  sky. 

I confess  that  my  interest  in  mag- 
nolias exceeds  that  of  most  people, 
and  I could  probably  rationalize  some- 
one's filling  every  spare  inch  in  their 
garden  with  these  beauties.  To  be 
more  reasonable  though,  I might  sug- 
gest planting  just  five  kinds,  which 
would  still  allow  you  to  have  flowers 
from  April  through  July.  If  I had  to, 
however.  I'd  settle  for  planting  one 
magnolia,  and  I'd  enjoy  its  other  quali- 
ties when  it  is  out  of  flower. 

Taking  a closer  look  atan  individual 
blossom  you  can  see  characteristics  of 
primitive  flower  forms,  for  they  have 
changed  very  little  over  time.  The 
petals  and  sepals  are  not  differentiated, 
so  they  are  referred  to  as  tepals.  Most 
flowers  begin  upright  and  globular, 
only  to  spread  open  their  tepals  to 
reveal  beautiful  gradations  of  colors 
and  contrasting  stamen.  The  flowers 
are  often  pleasantly  fragrant. 

Our  ornamental  magnolias  come 
from  two  geographical  areas.  Those 
native  to  temperate  North  America 
have  white,  cream  or  yellow  flowers 
appearing  with  the  leaves.  Their  Asian 
relatives  are  much  more  conspicuous 
in  flower,  displaying  their  richly 
colored  pink  to  maroon  blossoms  on 
naked  branches  in  early  spring.  Familiar 
examples  of  the  latter  are  the  com- 
monly planted  saucer  magnolia  (M.  x 

continued 


1 1 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Magnolias  tor  Gardens  continued 


soulangiana)  and  the  star  magnolia  (M. 
stellataj.  Both  of  these  are  certainly 
good  garden  plants,  but  by  no  means 
the  only  choice  in  flowering  magnolias. 
With  a little  searching  in  nurseries  the 
less  common  varieties  mentioned  below 
can  be  found.  All  are  hardy  in  the  Dela- 
ware Valley  and  offer  alternatives  in 
color  and  habit  to  the  two  old  standbys. 

The  star  magnolia  is  unquestionably 
a good  plant  for  small  areas  and  any 
spot  where  a dense,  floriferous  plant  is 
desired.  At  the  Scott  Horticultural 
Foundation  we  have  a beautiful  multi- 
stemmed specimen  that  is  only  10  ft. 
tall  with  a spread  of  about  15  ft.,  after 
nearly  50  years.  It  is  an  outstanding 
sight  when  it  is  covered  with  starry, 
fragrant  white  flowers  in  early  April. 
Unfortunately,  because  it  flowers  early 
it  is  often  touched  by  frost,  which  in  a 
bad  year  can  turn  the  blossoms  to 
brown  mush.  Avoid  this  disaster  by 
selecting  a star  magnolia  hybrid  that 
has  many  of  its  parents'  qualities,  but 
a later  flowering  date. 

hybrids 

The  National  Arboretum  has  bred 
several  compact  hybrids  that  bloom 
profusely  two  to  three  weeks  after  the 
star  magnolia.  This  delay  can  help  avoid 
unpredictable  frosts  in  some  years. 
These  eight  hybrids,  all  bearing  wom- 
en's names,  are  a result  of  crosses 
between  the  pink  star  magnolia  (M. 
stellata  'Rosea')  and  the  late  flowering, 
dark  colored  lily  magnolia  (M.  quinque- 
peta  'Nigra').  Among  this  group,  'Ann' 
and  'Susan'  are  particularly  good. 

'Ann,'  the  smaller  and  earlier  of  the 
two,  begins  flowering  in  mid-April,  pro- 
viding an  eye-catching  show  of  fragrant 
reddish-purple  flowers  that  last  for  10 
or  more  days.  It  is  an  ideal  size  for 
many  small  places;  a 20-year-old  speci- 
men at  the  National  Arboretum  is  a 
nicely  rounded,  multi-stemmed  plant, 
only  eight  ft.  tall. 

Its  relative  'Susan'  is  a more  vigorous 
grower  and  tree-like  in  habit,  yet  is  only 
10  to  12  ft.  tall.  Neither  is  likely  to 
block  your  windows  or  consume  your 
entire  yard.  In  late  April  'Susan'  pro- 
duces striking  dark  maroon  flowers 
from  tapered  buds,  which  fade  to  a 
lighter  pink.  As  with  'Ann,'  the  delayed 
flowering,  small  size  and  unusually  bril- 


liant color  makes  this  a valuable  addi- 
tion to  the  list  of  plants  available  for 
bloom  in  April. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  are  willing 
to  take  a gamble  on  blossoms  being 
destroyed  by  frost,  the  'Merrill'  mag- 
nolia (M.  x loebneri  'Merrill')  will  re- 
ward you  with  its  beauty.  It  too  has 
the  star  magnolia  as  one  parent,  but  its 
other  parent  is  the  kobus  magnolia  (M. 
kobus) , a much  larger  tree.  From  both 
parents  it  gets  its  early  flowering,  and 
in  the  beginning  of  April  even  small 
trees  of  this  variety  will  be  covered  with 
white,  semi-double  flowers.  It  is  a fast 
grower  and  more  upright  and  pyra- 
midal than  other  magnolias,  making  it 
a good  choice  when  you  need  a plant 
with  a limited  spread.  Although  it  can 
grow  to  30  ft.  Dick  Lighty  in  Kennett 
Square  prunes  his  to  only  15  ft.  to 
keep  it  in  scale  with  his  landscape.  It  is 
particularly  striking  when  it  is  backed- 
up  by  evergreens,  to  show  off  its  flow- 
ers and  form. 

most  common 

Perhaps  the  most  common  magnolia 
in  cultivation  in  our  area  is  the  saucer 
magnolia  (M.  x soulangiana).  You  have 
only  to  walk  around  Swarthmore 
in  mid-April  to  fall  in  love  with  this 
plant.  It  performs  well  under  adverse 
conditions— in  fact,  I have  seen  these 
trees  thriving  in  the  rugged  urban 
environment  of  Newark,  NJ.  Even  the 
novice  can  expect  success  with  this 
plant,  a fact  which,  in  addition  to  its 
beauty,  explains  its  popularity  with 
homeowners.  Although  I love  them,  I 
don't  recommend  too  much  of  any 
good  thing,  so  at  a minimum  I suggest 
planting  a selected  cultivar  that  differs 
from  the  standard  type.  'Brozzoni'  is  a 
particularly  good  white  form,  and  'Ver- 
banica'  has  large,  clear  pink  blossoms. 
Both  flower  a little  later  than  the 
straight  type,  which  extends  the  bloom- 
ing season  a bit. 

The  saucer  magnolia  is  a hybrid 
between  the  shrubby  lily  magnolia  (M. 
quinquipeta  'Nigra')  and  the  tall  Yulan 
magnolia  (I VI.  heptapeta).  Of  these  two, 
the  Yulan  is  an  excellent  tree  for  our 
area  and  should  be  grown  more,  for 
it  has  many  qualities  that  can  make  it 
more  desirable  than  the  saucer  magnolia 

Native  to  China,  the  Yulan  magnolia 


(formerly  called  M.  denudata)  has  been 
grown  for  centuries  in  temple  gardens 
in  the  Orient.  Its  fragrant  ivory  flowers 
are  chalice-shaped  and  a beautiful  con- 
trast to  the  attractive  gray  bark.  This  is 
one  of  the  tallest  magnolias  and  can 
grow  to  be  a 30-ft.  specimen  tree. 
Whereas  the  saucer  magnolia  tends  to 
spread  as  much  horizontally  as  verti- 
cally, the  Yulan  magnolia  can  be  single- 
stemmed and  if  the  lower  branches  are 
removed,  it  can  serve  as  both  a shade 
and  flowering  tree.  It  blooms  just 
before  the  saucer  magnolias  are  at  their 
peak,  and  the  outstanding  beauty  of  its 
firm  flowers  makes  growing  it  worth 
the  risk  of  frost  damage  in  an  unkind 
year. 

As  a rule,  all  magnolias  need  similar 
care.  It  is  best  to  buy  a container-grown 
plant  or  one  balled  in  burlap,  because 
the  fleshy  roots  do  not  react  well  to 
being  disturbed  and  should  be  treated 
with  care.  Planting  in  spring  may  be 
more  successful  than  in  fall.  Plant  it  in 
a sunny,  well-drained  area  in  slightly 
acid  soil  into  which  you've  incorpor- 
ated organic  matter.  These  plants  tend 
to  be  surface  rooted,  so  mulching  under 
the  tree  is  a good  idea.  This  will  also 
help  avoid  "lawnmower  blight,"  since 
magnolia  bark  damages  easily. 

It  seems  to  me  that  people  often  do 
not  control  magnolias  with  careful 
pruning  to  show  off  their  best  qualities. 
As  with  all  trees  you  should  remove 
basal  suckers  and  conflicting  water 
sprouts  on  the  branches  to  maintain 
the  habit  of  the  tree,  and  even  if  a 
multi-stemmed  plant  is  wanted,  all  of 
the  stems  shouldn't  be  allowed  to  grow. 
One  of  the  most  beautiful  features  of 
our  old  star  magnolia  at  the  Scott 
Foundation  is  that  it  has  been  limited 
to  13  main  stems,  which  carry  the 
crown  of  dense  flowers  and  foliage. 
Since  magnolias  should  not  be  heavily 
pruned  it  is  best  to  begin  shaping  them 
at  an  early  age,  and  you  will  be  reward- 
ed for  your  efforts. 

Happily,  this  group  of  plants  is  not 
plagued  by  insects,  and  the  sturdy  foli- 
age looks  good  throughout  the  growing 
season.  In  our  area  a giant  soft  scale 
will  attack  young  twigs  (especially  the 
saucer  magnolia),  but  we  have  only 
found  isolated  cases  at  Swarthmore. 
They  are  so  big  that  they  are  easily 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Magnolia  stellata 


seen,  and  a spray  of  dormant  oil  in 
early  spring  on  infected  plants  keep  it 
under  control. 

propagating 

Over  the  past  few  years  I've  propa- 
gated some  of  my  favorite  magnolias 
and  have  encouraged  others  to  try  it 
when  they've  seen  a plant  they  like. 
The  deciduous,  spring  flowering  varie- 
ties can  be  propagated  with  varying 
success  by  softwood  cuttings  in  early 
summer,  just  after  the  terminal  buds 
are  set.  I treat  my  cuttings  with  root- 
ing hormone,  put  them  under  mist, 
and  wait.  I have  found  that  'Ann,' 
'Susan'  and  their  group  root  very 
quickly  while  the  saucer  magnolia 
varieties  are  slower,  but  still  successful. 
Unfortunately  the  Yulan  magnolia  has 
been  reluctant  to  root  for  me  in  great 
numbers. 

Seed  propagation  is  also  possible 
with  some  varieties,  although  'Merrill' 
and  other  cultivars  should  be  propa- 
gated by  cutting  if  you  want  to  preserve 
the  particular  qualities  of  that  plant.  If 
you  are  inquisitive  and  patient  you 
might  try  growing  seed  from  hybrids 
to  see  what  variations  might  be  pro- 
duced. In  all  cases,  harvest  the  seed  as 
it  ripens,  for  it  loses  viability  quickly. 

It  should  be  mixed  with  moist  sphag- 
num moss,  labeled  as  to  its  source,  and 
stored  in  closed  plastic  bags  in  the  vege- 


table bin  of  the  refrigerator  for  three 
months.  After  that  time  it  should  be 
cleaned  and  planted. 

My  last  suggestion  is  to  be  creative 
in  your  use  of  these  plants.  If  you  have 
the  room,  I suggest  planting  a grove  of 
magnolias.  It  is  really  quite  a sight  in 
flower.  If  you  have  an  individual  speci- 
men, it  can  be  highlighted  while  in 
flower  with  spotlights  shining  up 
through  the  blossoms  at  night.  Another 
overlooked  use  of  many  trees  is  to  train 
them  as  wall  plants,  a technique  well 
adapted  in  England.  The  beautiful 
stone  and  brick  walls  in  Delaware  Val- 
ley lend  themselves  to  this  very  nicely, 
and  the  color  of  many  saucer  magnolias 
blends  well  with  red  brick,  a building 
color  that  I find  does  not  always  go 
well  with  other  flowering  trees.  I have 
seen  a saucer  magnolia  artfully  espal- 
iered  on  the  side  of  an  old  stone  house 
in  Wawa,  and  it  is  lovely  all  year  long. 
'Merrill'  would  be  particularly  good  to 
train  in  this  fashion  as  it  grows  quickly, 
with  fairly  long  branches.  Putting  it  on 
a cool  north-facing  wall  would  cause  it 
to  flower  later,  when  there  might  be 
less  of  a chance  of  frost  spoiling  the 
blossoms. 

Whatever  magnolia  you  choose, 
underplant  it  with  early  spring  bulbs 
to  enhance  its  beauty.  Grape  hyacinths, 
squills,  chionodoxa,  snowflakes  and 
varieties  of  narcissus  all  have  compat- 


ible blooming  times  and  colors  that 
harmonize  with  the  magnolia  blossoms. 
For  living  proof  of  this,  come  out  to 
the  Scott  Foundation  in  Swarthmore 
this  spring,  and  enjoy  the  wide  range 
of  magnoliaswe  grow  with  their  comple 
menting  bulbs.  It  might  convince  you 
to  select  your  next  magnolia  for  form 
and  flower  to  fill  your  particular  needs 
in  your  garden. 


Source  for  unusual  magnolias 

Gossler  Farms  Nursery 
1 200  Weaver  Rd. 

Springfield,  OR  97477 
503-746-3922 

V J 

Suggested  references  on  magnolias:* 

“Johnstone,  G.  H.  Asiatic  Magnolias  in 
Cultivation.  Chiswick  Press,  London, 
1955. 

“Millais,  J.  G. Magnolias.  Longmans,  Green 
and  Co.  Ltd.,  London,  1927  (reissued 
1972). 

“Treseder,  Neil  G.  Magnolias.  Faber  & 
Faber,  London,  1978. 

“available  in  PHS  Library 


Judith  Zuk  is  educational  coordinator  of  the 
Scott  Horticultural  Foundation  in  Swarth- 
more. She  will  be  looking  for  magnolias  on  a 
spring  garden  tour  of  England  that  she  and 
Jane  Pepper  are  leading.  Zuk  is  a member  of 
the  International  Plant  Propagators  Society. 


13 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


1 Narrow  driveway  at  NE  border  of  property 
showing  adjacent  neighbor's  viny  succession 
and  the  outer  edge  of  phragmites'  patch. 


14 


The  Legal  Problems  of  Cultivating  \t>ur 


Eight  years  ago  my  wife  and  I re- 
turned to  Philadelphia  where  we  were 
both  enrolled  at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania.  I was  in  the  School  of 
Regional  Planning  and  Landscape  Archi- 
tecture; Wilma  wasfinishing  her  certifi- 
cation in  Occupational  Therapy. 

We  had  begun  house  hunting  in  the 
area,  and  one  day  after  five  hours  of 
dragging  from  one  split  level  colonial 
development  after  another,  the  real 
estate  agent  said  somewhat  desperately 
that  she  knew  of  a small  ranch  on  an 
acre  plus  of  land  in  Gulph  Mills. 

We  turned  off  from  Upper  Gulph 
Road  onto  a narrow  drive  and  found 
ourselves  on  an  internal  piece  of  prop- 
erty situated  with  six  other  houses, 
each  on  an  acre.  They  seemed  to  be 
part  of  an  old  estate,  stucco  white 
house,  barn,  pond,  the  works. 

The  house  looked  like  a long  trailer 
but  Wilma  and  I saw  that  the  attached 
garage  could  be  converted  into  a large 
living  room  and  that  there  were  the 


right  number  of  rooms  in  the  proper 
sequence. 

Leaving  the  house,  I stepped  out 


The  property  was  so  wet  in  the 
back,  that  the  gardener  I hired  to 
get  the  waist  high  grass  down  to 
ankle  length  watched  his  large 
machine  sink.  He  ended  up  cut- 
ting a combination  of  mud  and 
grasses. 


onto  the  back  patio  to  find  an  enor- 
mous open  expanse  of  lawn  strategically 
spotted  with  swamp  maples  and  Ameri- 
can ash.  The  edges  of  the  property 
flowed  into  a neighbor's  manicured 
lawn  on  one  side  and  a swampy  area 
and  a large  stone  barn  on  another  side. 
The  third  side  was  the  shared  drive 
edged  by  a viny  successional  tangle 
and  the  fourth  side  was  a hedgerow  in 
pine  and  dogwood.  The  swampy  area 


housed  skunk  cabbage,  spice  bush,  a 
red  osier  dogwood-type  plant,  syca- 
more, maple,  alder,  ash,  etc.  On  the  far 
side  of  the  swamp  off  the  property  but 
within  view  was  a farm  pond  surround- 
ed with  lush  vegetation.  Beyond  the 
pond  a stream.  That  was  it.  Although 
it  wasn't  all  contained  within  our  acre 
the  backdrop  for  the  property  was  all 
there— a rural  setting  20  minutes  from 
center  city  Philadelphia. 

We  made  a bid;  it  was  accepted  and 
then  we  checked  the  details.  The  detail : 
an  option  to  hook  to  a sewer,  and  really 
how  wet  is  a wet  property?  When  we 
moved  into  the  house  in  July  1972  we 
discovered  the  answer  to  both  questions. 
The  property  was  so  wet  in  the  back, 
that  the  gardener  I hired  to  get  the 
waist-high  grass  down  to  ankle  length 
watched  his  large  machine  sink.  He 
ended  up  cutting  a combination  of 
mud  and  grasses. 

Also  the  first  year  we  lived  in  the 
house  was  an  extremely  wet  one.  We 


the  green  scene  • march  t980 


photos  by  author 


SE  property  boundary  showing  neighboring  manicured  lawn  sandwiched 
between  early  succession  in  foreground  with  existing  forest  succession  in  back- 
ground. 


NW  property  boundary  showing  pine-dogwood  hedgerow. 


Own  Garden:  trend  or  trouble  (^)  by  Saul  S.  Wiener 


watched  the  water  in  the  basement  rise 
and  ebb  with  the  rains.  The  stream 
even  jumped  its  channel  and  flowed 
through  a swale  on  our  property  during 
one  of  the  major  storms.  As  for  the 
sewer,  none  of  the  neighbors  wanted 
to  grant  us  an  easement.  The  totally 
saturated  ground  left  me  with  the 
option  of  having  the  sewage  back  up 
into  the  house  or  having  it  trickle  out 
of  the  cesspool  over  the  grounds. 

In  order  to  keep  the  children  from 
falling  into  the  small  pit  I dug  to  loosen 
the  cesspool  cap,  I ringed  the  hole  with 
arborvitae.  Down  stream  from  the 
trickle  I planted  a couple  of  phragmites 
that  I had  found  on  an  abandoned  acre 
at  the  entrance  to  the  expressway.  I 
figured  they  would  spread  quickly  and 
provide  vegetation  for  uptake  of  the 
cesspool  nutrients  and  also  discourage 
people  from  walking  in  the  sewage  area. 

Then  bravely  I put  on  my  galoshes, 
directed  my  lawn  mower  and  hoped  it 
would  not  sink  as  I attempted  to  main- 


tain my  estate.  It  didn't  work.  An  acre 
of  wet  grass  in  full  sun  grows  at  an 
astonishing  rate. 

planning 

I decided  to  try  another  approach. 
Being  in  the  school  of  Landscape  Archi- 
tecture and  Regional  Planning  I was 
learning  how  to  identify,  understand 
and  use  native  vegetation  in  the  land- 
scape. I began  to  raid  Sears  at  St. 
Davids  at  the  end  of  November  to  buy 
out  anything  they  were  ready  to  dis- 
card. Then  I would  with  my  great 
design  flair  place  these  few  plants  on 
my  acre  without  much  regard  for  their 
ability  to  stand  in  water  or  wet  soil. 
My  wife,  having  a more  sophisticated 
understanding  of  the  plants  and  their 
needs,  directed  some  of  them  to  their 
proper  location.  We  lost  some  and  some 
survived.  But  that  was  not  solving  the 
problem— namely  how  to  handle  close 
to  an  acre  of  swampy  land  without 
waiting  for  those  rare  dry  moments  so 


we  could  rush  out  and  mow  like  mad. 

We  were  now  in  our  third  season;  my 
lawn  mower  had  been  stolen  once;  the 
sewer  was  in;  and  we  noticed  lovely 
lobelia,  sweet  fern  and  rush  in  various 
poorly  mowed  sections  of  what  we 
now  called  "our  swamp.”  We  decided 
to  let  it  go.  I found  a mowing  line  at  a 
contour  where  the  mower  would  stay 
out  of  the  mud  and  where  the  kids 
would  have  enough  room  to  play  frisbee. 
Again  I tripped  off  to  Sears  to  see  how 
to  fill  this  area,  to  give  it  some  height 
and  dimension  to  screen  our  patio  from 
our  most  visible  neighbor.  Sears'  offer- 
ings were  miniscule.  But  by  now  my 
education  had  given  me  enough  insight 
to  understand  that  if  I looked  carefully 
at  the  grounds,  mine  and  the  adjacent 
succession,  the  grounds  themselves 
would  provide  the  solution. 

relocating 

This  approach  led  to  plant  relocation. 
Anything  that  I observed  growing  in 

continued 


15 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


16 


Vegetable  garden  looking  at  lawn  with  successional  swale  in  background. 


Then  bravely  I put  on  my  galoshes, 
directed  my  lawn  mower  and 
hoped  it  would  not  sink  as  I 
attempted  to  maintain  my  estate. 


the  neighborhood  in  similar  circum- 
stances I tried  on  our  property.  Some 
from  neighboring  woods  and  wet  fields, 
others  from  vacant  lots,  stream  banks, 
ponds,  swales  and  intermittent  puddles. 
I kept  my  trowel  in  the  trunk  of  the  car 
along  with  several  plastic  bags.  What 
arrived  in  the  next  year  was:  alder, 
sweetgum,  weeping  willow,  corkscrew 
willow,  cattails,  more  phragmites  (at 
this  point  well  established),  spice  bush, 
pussy  willow  (salix)  and  many  Sears 
non-starters  such  as  pyracanthas,  pine, 
crape  myrtle  and  other  routine  sales 
items.  I composed  all  these  items  as 
small  as  they  were  only  to  see  them 
overscaled  in  a rather  expansive  wet 
meadow  lawn.  My  wife  and  I talked 
incessantly  about  how  to  manage  "our 
swamp."  What  should  stay,  what  not, 
what  moved,  how  high  things  should 
be,  etc.  The  winter  came  and  we  were 
saved  until  the  next  season. 

The  fourth  year  brought  a change 
in  attitude.  Rather  than  plant  like  mad 
to  fill  space  we  watched  certain  areas 
to  see  how  they  composed  themselves. 
The  wet  areas  seemed  thicker  and 
lusher  than  the  year  before.  Jewel  weed 
flowed  and  undulated  over  the  com- 
plete area;  saplings  began  to  poke 


through  the  herbaceous  layer  and  the 
previous  years'  trees  grew  like  Jack's 
bean  stalk.  My  major  disappointment 
that  season  was  that  this  garden  was  to 
have  its  own  form  and  guiding  force 
rather  than  be  managed  by  gardeners. 
So,  I found  another  outlet  for  my  mid- 
line exercise,  and  we  penetrated  our 
meadow  to  investigate  its  structure 
and  progress. 

wildlife 

The  fifth  and  sixth  seasons  were 
lusher  than  ever.  The  herbaceous  mate- 
rial was  rich,  thick  and  impenetrable— 
a veritable  riot  of  vegetation.  The  sap- 
lings were  pushing  six  feet.  Actually 
things  looked  as  though  they  were 
gearing  up  for  the  battle.  Also  the  wild- 
life noticeably  increased.  We  could 
easily  distinguish  many  species  of  birds. 
Pheasants  began  to  wander  over  from 
our  neighbors,  and  one  afternoon  we 
found  a garden  snake  curled  up  in  the 
large  leaf  of  a cultivated  zinnia.  Toads, 
frogs  and  turtles  appeared  as  well  as 


raccoons,  opossums  and  a chipmunk 
or  two.  They  did  not  seem  frightened 
by  the  house  as  the  vegetation  provided 
more  significant  cover. 

The  seventh  season  was  ushered  in 
with  great  enthusiasm.  We  were  learn- 
ing to  sit  back,  relax  and  enjoy  it.  I 
struggled  a little  pulling  some  poison 
ivy,  and  I introduced  more  cattails 
into  a wetter  area  without  the  interfer- 
ence of  phragmites  since  the  two  did 
not  seem  to  cohabit  well.  We  also 
created  a few  small  collecting  pools  in 
spots  to  see  if  we  would  hold  water  for 
longer  periods  of  time  to  entice  differ- 
ent plants.  I mowed  a little  less  to  let 
the  edge  creep  into  the  larger  play  sec- 
tions, and  we  wondered  what  we  would 
do  with  all  the  saplings  if  they  actually 
matured.  The  expectation  of  a flood- 
plain  woods  now  became  an  accepted 
goal. 

the  law  enters 

That  season  towards  August  the  suc- 
cession seemed  to  attract  more  wildlife 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


PROPERTY  LINE 


ui 

z 

>- 

F- 

K 

UJ 

0. 

c 

cz 

Cl 


BACKDROP 
OF  WET 
FOREST 
VEGETATION 


SIDE 

NEIGHBOR'S 

BARN 


than  we  expected.  A township  health 
inspector  paid  us  a visit.  He  said  that  a 
neighbor  had  complained  and  that  to 
comply  with  the  "weed  ordinance"  we 
might  have  to  cut.  I responded  that  we 
had  a lifestyle  difference,  and  we  had 
been  through  this  same  routine  with 
this  neighbor  over  other  issues.  The 
inspector  said  that  it  might  be  in  order 
to  cut  the  driveway  edge  and  the  back 
edge  of  the  property  because  the  neigh- 
bor had  also  complained  about  allergies. 
Actually  there  was  ragweed  all  over  my 
neighbor's  driveway  edge— I had  pulled 
all  mine.  To  comply  we  pulled  a fair 
amount  of  jewel  weed  in  the  specified 
locations. 

We  were  then  served  with  a notice 
saying  the  same  thing.  Several  days 
later  the  inspector  called  and  insisted 
that  was  not  the  solution.  He  said  we 
could  be  fined,  our  weeds  would  be  cut 
and  we  better  level  it  or  else.  We  hired 
a lawyer.  A hearing  date  of  October  19 
was  scheduled  to  review  the  merits  of 
the  case. 


The  press  saw  the  injunction  on  pub- 
lic file  and  swooped  down.  Three  tele- 
vision stations,  two  major  local  papers 
and  one  UPI  later  we  decided  to  close 
the  house  and  go  to  the  shore  to  relax 
for  a few  days.  When  we  returned  we 
had  to  think  about  the  realities  and 
expense  of  a court  case.  None  of  it  was 
pleasant. 

In  thinking  about  the  case  the  feel- 
ing of  being  on  the  defensive  led  one 
of  our  neighbors  to  help  by  suggesting 
some  hard  negotiation.  With  nothing 
to  lose  we  contacted  one  of  our  town- 
ship supervisors  who  negotiated  on  our 
behalf  to  the  point  where  the  township 
felt  they  would  not  be  able  to  win  the 
case  on  the  basis  of  constitutionality 
and  said  they  would  try  to  create  a 
weed  ordinance  with  an  exception  clause 
for  successive  vegetation.  VICTORY! 

I hope  to  have  some  input  into  the 
ordinance— as  throughout  the  country 
there  seems  to  be  no  model  for  this 
type  of  regulation. 

Successive  vegetation  as  a developing 


adolescent  is  gangly  and  awkward  at 
certain  stages  when  vines  try  to  choke 
saplings  and  poison  ivy,  lonicera  or 
Mexican  bamboo  run  rampant. 

But  they  are  only  temporary  stages 
and  with  management  techniques  can 
be  controlled  so  problems  of  vegetation 
intruding  on  neighboring  properties  are 
eliminated,  and  the  final  stage,  i.e. 
mature  forest,  can  be  reached. 

Succession  on  a wet  property  seems 
to  me  imperative.  For  stream  bank 
erosion,  stabilization,  aquifer  recharge 
and  runoff  erosion  alone  wet  properties 
or  portions  of  them  should  be  managed 
in  this  low  energy  manner.  The  results 
as  well  as  the  process  can  be  stunning. 
• 

Skip  Wiener's  problems  with  his  property 
gave  him  the  opportunity  to  work  out  his 
philosophy  about  successive  vegetation.  The 
philosophy  was  developed  while  getting  his 
degree  in  landscape  architecture  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a planning 
coordinator  for  the  Bureau  of  Coastal  Plan- 
ning and  Development  for  the  New  Jersey 
Department  of  Environmental  Protection. 


17 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Gable  in  his  80s  under  the  original  Cadis 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photos  reprinted  courtesy  of  Harrowood  Books,  Newtown  Square,  Pa. 


books  and  the  green  world 


A Book*that 
Almost  Wrote  Itself 

This  book*constitutes  a unique  record  of  hybridizing  rhododendrons 
in  the  eastern  United  States.  Its  like  is  not  to  be  found  for  this  or  any 
other  genus,  at  any  other  time,  in  any  other  place,  in  the  history  of 
horticulture.  In  the  scope  of  its  concept  and  the  comprehensiveness 


of  its  execution,  it  stands  alone. 

(^)  by  Franklin  H.  West 

It  is  hard  to  realize  that  just  100 
years  ago  the  people  of  the  Delaware 
Valley  could  not  have  seen  the  blazing 
spectacles  of  azaleas  and  rhododen- 
drons that  we  regard  today  as  common- 
place. How  did  such  a miraculous  trans- 
formation of  eastern  gardens  actually 
happen?  Partly  by  good  fortune  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Waterer  rhododendrons 
from  England  and  the  Kurume  azaleas 
from  Japan.  The  Waterers  had  used  R. 
catawbiense  from  our  Southern  Appala- 
chians in  their  hybridizing  efforts, 
which  enabled  their  plants  to  adapt  to 
our  climate.  The  Kurume  azaleas  were 
bred  in  a climate  so  similar  to  ours 
that  they  also  could  adapt  to  eastern 
gardens  wherever  the  winter  temper- 
ature did  not  dip  below  minus  5°F. 

The  Belgian  Indian  azaleas  proved 
supremely  at  home  in  our  southern 
states.  These  plants  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  miracle  in  eastern  gardens. 

The  larger  part  of  this  miracle  was 
produced  by  the  hybridizers  who 
created  new  varieties  of  azaleas  and 
rhododendrons  right  here  in  our  own 
climate:  e.g.,  Charles  Owen  Dexter, 
Joseph  Benson  Gable,  Benjamin  Yeo 
Morrison,  G.  Guy  Nearing,  Anthony  M. 
Shammarello.  These  five  plantsmen  are 
the  pioneer  rhododendron  and  azalea 
hybridizers  in  the  eastern  United  States. 
They  deserve  the  bigger  share  of  our 
appreciation  for  the  beauty  of  our 
springtime  azalea  and  rhododendron 

* Hybrids  and  Hybridizers:  Rhododendrons  and 
Edited  by  Philip  A.  Livingston  and  Franklin  H.  ) 
Newtown  Square,  Pa.,  1978.  (215-353-5585) 


David  G.  Leach 
Past  President 

American  Horticultural  Society 
displays. 

Many  of  us  in  the  American  Rhodo- 
dendron Society  have  wanted  to  ex- 
press our  appreciation  of  the  pioneer 
hybridizers  and  their  plants  in  some 
permanent  way.  Since  none  of  them 
had  received  recognition  in  a book 
devoted  to  their  lives  and  works,  it 
seemed  most  appropriate  to  publish  a 
book. 

We  began  work  on  the  project  in 
1 972.  Everyone  we  contacted  was  de- 
lighted with  the  prospect  of  contribut- 
ing to  a commemorative  tribute  to 
these  plantsmen.  A book  committee 
was  organized  with  Dr.  John  Wister,  of 
Swarthmore;  Heman  Howard,  of  Heri- 
tage Plantation;  Gordon  Jones,  of 
Planting  Fields;  Alfred  S.  Martin,  presi- 
dent of  ARS;  Philip  Livingston  of  Nar- 
berth,  Pa.;  Fred  Knapp,  of  New  York; 
Roy  Magruder,  of  Washington,  D.C.; 
David  Leach,  of  Madison,  Ohio;  and 
the  writer  as  chairman. 

Appreciation  was  not  the  only  spur 
to  our  efforts— disappointment  also 
played  a part.  The  genetic  endowment 
of  rhododendrons  is  so  climate-specific 
that  they  lack  the  general  adaptability 
of  other  garden  flowers,  such  as  the 
rose  and  marigold.  (There  probably 
will  never  be  an  all-American  rhodo- 
dendron.) Most  hybrids  bred  in  other 
parts  of  the  world,  or  even  in  our  own 
Pacific  Northwest,  do  not  prosper  in 
our  sterner  climate.  The  American 

continued 

Azaleas  for  Eastern  North  America. 

Vest,  Harrowood  Books, 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


\ W x >k  tlvx  Almc  >st  Wrote  Itself  continued 


Rhododendron  Society  published  qual- 
ity ratings  for  many  hybrids,  but  had 
failed  to  signify  where  the  more  highly 
rated  plants  would  perform  well.  As  a 
result,  eastern  gardeners  repeatedly 
purchased  highly  rated  plants  from 
nurseries  in  the  northwest  only  to 
suffer  repetitive  disappointments  in 
their  dismal  performance  here.  (Fortu- 
nately, ARS,  in  1976,  completely  re- 
vised its  awards  and  ratings  of  plants, 
and  now  gives  them  regionally.)  In  an 
effort  to  prevent  further  disappoint- 
ments, our  book  committee  decided  to 
survey  all  eastern  ARS  members  to 
find  out  which  azaleas  and  rhododen- 
drons actually  do  best  in  our  varied 
eastern  climate  from  the  Midwest-Great 
Lakes  region.  New  England-upper  New 
York  to  the  Mid-Atlantic,  and  South- 
eastern states.  The  late  FrancisSholom- 
skas,  a professor  of  mathematics  at 
Temple  University  and  past  president 
of  the  Philadelphia  Chapter  of  ARS, 
supervised  the  survey  and  tabulated 
the  results.  (See  table  at  the  end  of 
this  article.) 

the  biographies 

John  Wister  and  Heman  Howard  col- 
laborated on  the  Dexter  chapter.  Both 
had  been  involved  in  selecting,  naming, 
and  bringing  the  best  Dexters  back  to 
their  place  of  origin  on  Cape  Cod. 
Heman  also  introduced  us  to  Dexter's 
grandson,  Dexter  Schierenbeck,  and 
his  father,  Ludwig,  who  shared  many 
reminiscences  of  Dexter. 

Alfred  Martin,  who  had  been  an 
ardent  admirer  of  Tony  Shammarello's 
plants  for  years,  agreed  to  do  his 
biography  and  a description  of  his 
hybrids. 

A fortunate  visit  to  Washington  by 
the  Canadian,  Dick  Steele,  sparked  the 
formation  of  a Gable  Study  Group  in 
the  Potomac  Chapter  of  ARS.  Steele 
had  given  a talk  in  1973  on  Gable's 
work  at  Stewartstown,  Pa.,  and  quoted 
at  length  from  his  journals  and  corre- 
spondence. The  chairman  of  the  Study 
Group,  George  Ring,  offered  to  share 
his  group's  findings  with  us,  and,  in 
addition,  agreed  to  write  a chapter 


about  the  contemporary  eastern  rhodo- 
dendron hybridizers  who  are  carrying 
on  in  the  tradition  of  the  pioneering 
five. 

An  elevator  ride  proved  helpful  in 
our  efforts  to  find  a biographer  for  Guy 
Nearing.  At  the  Pittsburgh  convention 
of  the  ARS  in  1973,  our  chief  editor, 
Phil  Livingston,  overheard  Paul  Sleezer 
talking  about  Nearing.  This  contact  re- 
sulted in  a promise  to  write  the  Near- 
ing story.  Sleezer,  a member  of  the 


Most  hybrids  bred  in  other  parts 
of  the  world,  or  even  in  our  own 
Pacific  Northwest,  do  not  prosper 
in  our  sterner  climate. . . . eastern 
gardeners  repeatedly  purchased 
highly  rated  plants  from  nurseries 
in  the  northwest  only  to  suffer 
repetitive  disappointments  in 
their  dismal  performance  here. 


Nearing  Study  Group,  also  helped  us 
obtain  copies  of  Nearing's  extensive 
correspondence  with  Joseph  Gable, 
selected  portions  of  which  were  in- 
cluded in  the  Nearing  chapter. 

Ben  Morrison  proved  to  be  a bit 
more  elusive.  There  were  many  who 
had  known  him— John  Wister,  George 
H.  M.  Lawrence,  Roy  Magruder,  Holly 
Hollowell,  and  George  Harding  among 
many  others.  Fortunately,  Morrison's 
papers  were  preserved  at  the  Hunt 
Library  for  Botanical  Documentation 
at  Carnegie  Mellon  University  in  Pitts- 
burgh where  Lawrence  had  served  as 
its  first  director.  When  Lawrence 
declined  to  undertake  a collaborative 
authorship,  we  succeeded  in  getting 
Harding's  and  Hollowell's  reminiscences, 
along  with  the  complete  file  of  Morri- 
sons's  papers  in  the  Hunt  Library's  file, 
thanks  to  its  archivist,  Abby  Levine. 
From  this  we  were  able  to  assemble  an 
image  of  the  man  who  had  been  editor 
of  the  AHS  Journal  for  37  years,  the 
first  director  of  the  National  Arboretum, 
and  the  creator  of  454  Glenn  Dale 
azaleas. 

Joseph  B.  Gable's  story  in  our  book 
deserves  special  acknowledgement 


because  of  its  exceptional  merit.  One 
of  his  daughters,  a journalist,  felt  it  un- 
seemly for  a family  member  to  write 
of  her  father's  life  and  career.  After 
some  gentle  persuasion,  she  gave  us  a 
moving  story  of  his  life  for  the  Gable 
chapter,  with  the  stipulation  that  we 
not  reveal  her  authorship.  We  can't  keep 
the  secret  any  longer. 

Gable  and  Nearing  collaborated  in 
their  hybridizing  efforts  to  an  unusual 
degree— ultimately  to  the  benefit  of 
both,  but  an  exchange  in  which  Gable 
proved  to  be  the  benefactor.  We  had 
Nearing's  letters  to  Gable  for  the  book, 
but  where  was  the  reciprocal  corre- 
spondence? In  an  attic,  as  it  turned  out. 
After  the  book  was  in  final  proof,  the 
letters  were  remembered  by  their  for- 
getful borrower  and  were  rushed  to  us 
in  time  to  include  a generous  sampling 
of  them  as  a supplement  to  the  book. 
This  allowed  us  to  publish  a unique  ex- 
change of  letters  between  these  two 
hybridizers  who  addressed  each  other 
as  "Mr.”  for  over  ten  years  before  they 
agreed  to  first-name  each  other. 

By  1 977  the  book  had  grown  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  originally  planned  1 28 
pages,  even  before  we  began  the  process 
of  selecting  108  color  slides  to  use  for 
illustrations.  To  help  launch  us  into 
print  in  fitting  style,  David  G.  Leach, 
past  president  of  the  American  Horti- 
cultural Society,  sent  us  a masterful 
introduction  to  the  book  (see  excerpts) . 
Then,  with  professional  help  from  our 
editor,  Phil  Livingston,  his  editorial 
assistants,  the  indexers,  and  Paul  Harris's 
staff  of  Harrowood  Books,  in  Newtown 
Square,  the  book  was  assembled  from 
a thousand  pieces.  With  financial  assist- 
ance from  Heritage  Plantation  and  a 
loan  from  the  Fidelity  Bank,  we  took 
our  book  to  the  printer  in  April,  1978 
under  the  title  Hybrids  and  Hybridizers, 
Rhododendrons  and  Azaleas  for  Eastern 
North  America.  One  of  our  friendliest 
reviewers  said  it  was  the  first  rhodo- 
dendron book  with  a plot! 

Looking  back  at  all  the  generous 
help  we  received  in  putting  the  book 
together,  it  still  seems  like  a book  that 
wrote  itself— almost! 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Excerpts 

from  David  Leach's  Preface  of 

Hybrids  and  Hybridizers:  Rhododendrons  and  Azaleas  for  Eastern  North  America 


Joseph  Benson  Gable 

Breeders  in  the  cold  Northeast 
usually  regard  Joseph  Benson  Gable  as 
the  dean  of  American  hybridizers.  His 
output  was  astonishing  but  his  experi- 
ence with,  and  knowledge  of  rhodo- 
dendrons were  overwhelming.  Years  ago 
I had  his  original  notebooks  copied. 
They  occupy  three  volumes  in  my 
library.  They  contain  wryly  humorous 
comments,  many  deleted  in  later  ver- 
sions, about  the  incredible  number  of 
different  species  and  hybrids  he  grew. 
Describing  the  unattractive  progeny  of 
a cross  which  particularly  disappointed 
him,  he  called  the  seedlings  "a  rather 
disreputable  lot."  That  was  the  harsh- 
est judgment,  of  plants  or  people,  of 
which  Joe  Gable  was  capable.  He  loved 
them  both. 

Guy  Nearing 

When  I first  visited  the  nursery  which 
Nearing  was  laboringto  establish,  I was 
astounded  to  find  him  presiding  over 
an  unpromising  patch  of  land  strewn 
with  rocks  of  all  sizes.  As  we  picked 
our  way  along  the  paths,  I inquired 
how  the  deep  storage  pits  had  been 
excavated  through  the  huge  buried 
boulders.  The  seemingly  frail,  gray 
haired  man  diffidently  replied  that  he 
had  done  it  himself,  using  a principle 
of  Archimedes. 

One  of  the  most  phenomenal  Near- 
ing traits  is  his  capacity  to  endure. 
Now  87,  his  life  has  been  ravaged  by 
disasters:  blindness,  an  inconstant 
patron,  ill  health,  privation, devastating 
flood  and  finally,  after  the  chapter  in 
this  book  was  written,  the  one  afflic- 


tion he  had  seemed  to  escape:  fire, 
which  utterly  destroyed  his  home.  . . . 

[His]  letters  are  often  buoyantly 
optimistic  and  totally  committed,  as 
when  he  writes  that,  despite  the  lack 
of  future  financial  return,  "the  work 
seemed  so  tremendously  worthwhile 
that  we  had  to  go  ahead  with  it."  Or, 
"Rhododendron  breeding  is  a sort  of 
religion  with  us."  After  his  appalling 
afflictions,  including  the  destruction 
of  his  nursery,  only  20  months  after  a 
second  start  with  the  help  of  his  close 
friend.  Gable,  he  was  writing,  "I  really 
feel  encouraged." 


"I  intend  to  go  right  on  crossing 
as  though  I had  200  years  to  live.” 


Then  there  are  the  dark  moods.  At 
66,  Nearing  wrote,  "I'm  beginning  to 
feel  my  age.  It  looks  as  if  my  hybridiz- 
ing has  nearly  come  to  an  end."  He  was 
still  doing  strenuous  folk  dancing  at  87. 
Then,  "After  nearly  15  years  of  breed- 
ing, I have  fewer  than  a dozen  plants 
kept  for  observation,  and  most  of  those 
will  pretty  surely  be  thrown  away."  Or, 
later,  "And  now,  after  . . . years  of 
work,  I still  haven't  raised  a first  class 
seedling."  After  the  flood  came  despair: 
"I  have  sold  off  . . . my  nursery,  and 
closed  the  place  for  keeps  . . . there  is 
small  likelihood  that  I can  ever  take  up 
. . . hybridizing  . . . again."  But  the 
resolute  spirit  always  regains  ascend- 
ancy: "It  is  likely  that  none  of  the 
crosses  I make  now  will  ever  do  me 
any  good.  However,  as  you  may  guess, 

I intend  to  go  right  on  crossing  as 


though  I had  200  years  to  live.  I want 
to  go  ahead  with  all  that  give  promise." 
Or,  "By  the  time  next  year's  seed  is 
turned  into  flowering  plants,  we'll  be 
old  men  . . . however,  if  I were  not 
interested  in  this  work  for  its  own  sake, 
I wouldn't  be  in  it  at  all." 

Tony  Shammarello 

Tony  had  grown  up  in  Little  Italy, 
one  of  Cleveland's  toughest  neighbor- 
hoods. Many  of  his  friends  were  young 
hoodlums;  some  of  them  ended  up  in 
prison.  Few  escaped  the  trap  of  the 
inner  city,  but  Tony  and  his  family 
were  different. 

Young  Shammarello  had  always 
been  impressed  by  his  father's  work  at 
the  cemetery,  famed  then,  as  now,  for 
its  floral  displays.  He  thought  it  was  a 
great  feat  to  put  small  magnolias  and 
flowering  cherries  into  the  ground,  and 
have  them  produce  in  a few  years  the 
springtime  showers  of  flowers  staged 
by  the  older  trees.  When  he  was  17, 
Tony  met  Michael  Horvath,  the  owner 
of  Mentor  Nurseries,  who  knew  the 
Latin  names  of  plants  and  was  willing 
to  take  the  time  to  explain  their  mean- 
ing to  an  eager  teenager.  Tony  was  so 
impressed  that  he  offered  to  work 
without  pay  in  Horvath's  greenhouse, 
for  the  knowledge  and  experience  to 
be  gained  from  the  distinguished  older 
Hungarian.  Came  Christmas,  and  Mr. 
Horvath  presented  his  helper  with  a 
cash  gift.  It  was  immediately  refused. 
The  obligation  lay  in  the  other  direction 
Tony's  father  directed  him  to  take  a 
gallon  of  wine  as  a holiday  gift  to  Mr. 
Horvath. 

continued 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


\ Bcx)ktliat  Almost  Wrote'  Itself  continued 


Exchange  of  Correspondence 


March  17,  1942 

From  Guy  Nearing  to  Joseph  B. 
on  Botanical  Names 

I don't  use  the  author's  name 
because  I think  that  is  the  origin  of  a 
situation  which  is  ruining  the  whole  of 
botanical  taxonomy.  The  botanical 
politicians  decreed  that  usage  so  that 
they  could  make  themselves  famous, 
and  incidentally  clean  up  some  money. 
They  name  thousands  of  useless  and 
meaningless  species  simply  to  get  their 
own  names  spread  around,  and  to  com- 
pel people  to  buy  their  new  books  in 
order  to  find  out  what  changes  they 
have  made.  In  my  introduction,  I 
proudly  state  that  I have  not  named 
one  new  species,  and  throughout  the 
book  I point  out  which  are  real  species 
and  which  are  segregated  on  insuffi- 
cient grounds. 

I could  of  course  have  included  the 
authors,  but  was  specially  anxious  to 
avoid  the  format  of  the  conventional 
monograph.  My  book  is  written  to  ex- 
plain what  lichens  the  professional 
botanists  have  referred  to  in  their  highly 
technical  treatises,  for  they  have  scrupu- 
lously avoided  letting  anyone  in  on 
this  little  secret.  When  the  book  is  fin- 
ished, they  will  flail  it  with  scientific 
curses  and  common  sarcasms,  and  the 
more  credulous  botanists  will  believe 
them,  but  about  that  time  I'm  planning 
to  have  some  unexpected  ammunition 
ready  for  them. 

The  best  procedure  in  naming  an 
unknown  of  your  own  is  to  work  it 
out  in  the  manual,  then  press  a bit, 
and  at  your  convenience  take  it  to  a 
herbarium  for  comparison.  I should 
think  you  could  reach  the  Smithsonian 
without  too  much  traveling,  and  it  is 
there,  I believe,  that  the  material  is 
located,  also  probably  much  of  Wilson's, 
Perhaps  you  have  been  there. 

One  thing  I 'm  sorry  I didn't  do  is 
keep  a few  seeds  of  each  species.  The 
seeds  differ  a lot,  and  would  be  useful 
as  an  aid  in  determination.  Many  speci- 
mens have  flower,  capsule  and  seeds  all 
present,  and  though  seeds  are  not  in- 


cluded in  most  of  the  descriptions, 
they  might  well  be.  If  a fellow  had  a 
good  collection  of  the  seeds,  he  could 
take  those  of  Feng,  etc.,  and  match 
them  up  nearly  enough  to  make  some 
sort  of  guess  before  sowing. 

June  27, 1943 

From  Joseph  B.  Gable  to  Guy  Nearing 
on  Hybridizing— A Continuously  Pro- 
gressive Process 

At  the  moment  Auriculatum,  arbor- 
escens,  maximum,  minus  and  Camps' 
Red  are  in  flower.  And  yes,  the  diminu- 
tive flowered  semibarbatum,  micran- 
thum  and  Tschonoskii  are  all  doing 
their  bit.  Except  the  first  mentioned 
all  of  these  are  fully  hardy  and  take  no 
particular  care  except  semibarbatum. 


The  botanical  politicians  decreed 
that  usage  so  that  they  could 
make  themselves  famous,  and  in- 
cidentally clean  up  some  money. 


In  this  species  one  is  compelled  to  take 
particular  care  to  watch  for  its  bloom- 
ing time  or  the  flowers  will  pass  all  un- 
noticed. They  are  just  that  inconspicu- 
ous. However,  I regard  their  coloring 
and  markings  as  exquisite  and  am  sure 
were  the  florets  as  large  as  auriculatum, 
rhododendron  literature  would  be 
crowded  with  its  praises.  But  aside 
from  being  so  tiny  the  little  florets  are 
so  retracted  back  beneath  the  foliage— 
but  I suppose  you  have  it  too,  my  plant 
coming  from  you,  so  you  already 
know  all  this. 

You  are  quite  right  that  the  prob- 
lem of  deciding  which  plants  to  intro- 
duce is  a "perplexing"  one.  And  the 
perplexity  does  not  always  cease  even 
after  one  has  decided.  I have  already 
discontinued  some  of  my  first  azalea 
introductions.  This  is  bad,  very  bad. 
But  it  is  an  extremely  difficult  thing  to 
evade.  The  trouble  seems  to  be  that 
there  is  no  ultimate  in  this  business.  It 
is  an  infinite  thing. 


No  matter  how  outstanding  the 
new  variety,  improvements  will  ever  be 
made.  The  best  selling— and  best  to 
grow  varieties— of  all  plant  varieties  are 
never  permanent. 

It  is  a continuously  progressive  pro- 
cess and  I still  affirm  that  when  I 
named  an  azalea  it  was  an  improvement 
on  anything  on  the  market  in  its  day 
and  in  its  class.  But  I keep  right  on 
breeding.  . . . And  so  it  happens  that 
something  that  looked  so  good  to  me 
ten  or  fifteen  years  back  that  I named 
it— and  some  of  these  have  had  enough 
merit  to  be  grown  by  the  thousands  to 
fill  the  demand— have  been  so  much 
outdone  by  newer  creations  of  my  own 
in  their  same  color  class,  etc.,  that  I 
would  be  untrue  to  my  work  if  I did 
not  discard  them  and  introduce  the 
better  variety. 

I do  not  believe  in  introducing  every- 
thing that  is  pretty  or  just  a slight  im- 
provement, etc.  I think  a good  bit  of 
my  trouble  with  the  azaleas  was  that 
so  little  or  no  work  had  been  done  in 
breeding  hardy  sorts  that  I had  the 
field  too  much  to  myself.  Almost 
every  new  color  that  came  from  the 
Kaempheri-Poukhanense  crosses  was 
hardy  and  hence  a new  hardy  azalea  in 
a new  color  for  a hardy  type.  Hence  I 
did  not  hesitate  to  propagate  it.  I am 
still  proud  of  them  for  I have  seen  a 
few  gardens  with  hundreds— one  with 
thousands  of  Gable  azaleas  now  taller 
than  an  average  person  and  I feel  that 
my  first  ambition  in  azalea  breeding— 
that  of  making  it  possible  to  duplicate 
the  azaleas  of  Magnolia  Gardensfarther 
north— is  perhaps  more  than  an  idle 
dream. 

The  little  'Rosebud'  azalea  of  which 
I sent  a flower  or  two  is  an  altogether 
different  type  of  such  promiscuous 
parentage  that  it  would  take  a stud 
book  to  explain  it.  It  is  very  dwarf  and 
floriferous  and  hardy  through  eight 
years  of  record.  It  roots  readily  from 
cuttings.  Some  of  the  best  old  plants 
of  azalea  do  not  root  well.  It  may  be 
introduced  in  a few  years  if  it  will  pro- 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Wister  Garden 
at  Swarthmore 


duce  wood  enough  to  work  up  a stock 
Have  an  absolutely  blood  Red  obtusum 
hybrid  now.  Something  that  has  been 
non-existent  either  hardy  or  tender. 

As  for  Fortune i hybrids  failing  in 
popularity  I do  not  think  they  have 
had  a chance  so  far.  I have  yet  to  sell  a 
clonally  propagated  plant  or  to  name 
a variety  unless  'Caroline'  is  partly  For- 
tune! and  this  I have  not  sold,  only 


named.  I could  have  sold  hundreds  if  I 
had  them— I have  just  worked  my 
stock  up  to  24!  This  old  plant  Andorra 
Nurseries  offered  me  $200.00  for  but  I 
asked  $500.00.  Humphreys  saw  it  in 
flower.  A hired  man  said  we  were  both 
"d—  n"  fools.  Maybe  so.  Mrs.  du  Pont 
declared  'Caroline'  is  "better  than 
'White  Pearl'  even  if  'White  Pearl'  were 
hardy."  . . . One  point  concerning  plant 


introductions.  Ninety-nine  times  out 
of  each  hundred  it  takes  the  originator 
to  introduce  a new  variety  to  the 
retail  consumer.  The  commercial  nur- 
seryman is  a hardheaded  business  man 
and  not  inclined  to  take  chances.  The 
variety  must  get  in  the  gardeners’  hands 
and  a demand  started  before  the  aver- 
age nurseryman  shows  any  sign  of 
interest. 


Varieties  Recommended  for  the  Middle  Atlantic  Region 


The  Eastern  Book  Committee  of  the  Ameri- 
can Rhododendron  Society  sent  an  eight- 
page  questionnaire  to  all  members  east  of 
the  Rocky  Mounta  ins  to  determine  how  suc- 
cessfully the  hybrids  of  the  pioneers  men- 
tioned in  this  book  were  adapting  to  the 
locale  and  to  determine  quality  ratings  for 
their  plants. 

Following  are  the  ratings  received  for 
plants  in  the  Middle  Atlantic  Region.  They 
are  listed  in  order  of  preference. 


Listed  Hybrids  (large-leaved  rhododendrons) 
Scintillation  (Dexter),  large,  pink.  May 
Windbeam  (Nearing),  dwarf,  pink,  April 
Cadis  (Gable),  large,  pale  pink,  late  May 
County  of  York  (Gable),  large,  white.  May 
David  Gable  (Gable),  large,  red,  early  May 
Mary  Fleming  (Nearing),  dwarf , apricot, 
April 

Conewago  (Gable),  small-leaved,  lavender- 
pink,  April 

Caroline  (Gable),  large,  pale  mauve.  May 
Holden  (Shammarello),  large, rose  red.  May 

Deciduous  Azaleas 

Gibraltar,  orange.  May 
Cecile,  pink.  May 


calendu/aceum,  orange  to  yellow.  May 
vaseyi,  white  to  pink.  May 
nudiflorum,  pink  (Pinxster  bloom).  May 
schlippenbachii,  white  to  pink,  April 
Strawberry  Ice,  tricolored.  May 

Species  (rhododendrons) 
carolinianum,  small-leaved, pink, early  May 
fortune/,  large,  pale  pink.  May 
yakusimanum,  compact,  white.  May 
keiskei,  dwarf,  yellow,  April 
racemosum,  dwarf,  pink,  April 
maximum,  large  pink  to  white,  July 
metternichii,  large,  pink,  April 
mucronulatum,  small-leafed,  pink,  April 
catawbiense,  large,  rose.  May 
Evergreen  Azaleas  (all  May  blooming) 
Delaware  Valley  White  (species),  white 
Louise  Gable  (Gable),  orange-pink 
Stewartstonian  (Gable),  scarlet 
Springtime  (Gable),  early  pink 
Martha  Hitchcock  (Morrison), magenta  and 
white 

Herbert  (Gable),  lavender 
Rosebud  (Gable),  double  pink 
Rose  Greeley  (Gable),  white 
Ironclads— Hybrids  from  England  (large- 
leaved  rhododendrons) 

Boule  de  Neige,  large,  white.  May 


Nova  Zembla,  large,  red.  May 
Catawbiense  Album,  large,  white.  May 
Roseum  Elegans,  large,  rose,  late  May 
Roseum  Pink,  large,  pink,  May 
America,  large,  red.  May 
English  Roseum,  large,  rose  pink,  late  May 
Mrs.  Charles  S.  Sargent,  large,  red.  May 

Unlisted  Hybrids  (large-leaved  rhododendrons) 
Blue  Peter,  large,  blue  w/purple  blotch.  May 
Mrs.  Furnival,  large,  pink  w/sienna  blotch. 
May 

Gomer  Waterer,  large,  pale  mauve.  May 
P.J.M.  (Mezitt), small-leafed,  magenta,  April 
Vulcan,  large,  scarlet.  May 
Janet  Blair  (Leach),  large,  pink,  May 
Jean  Marie  de  Montagu,  large,  scarlet.  May 
Wheatley  (Dexter  seedling),  large,  pink. 

May 

• 

Franklin  H.  West  isa  psychiatrist.  He  teaches 
at  Hahnemann  Medical  College,  where  he  is 
a professor,  and  is  in  practice  at  the  Institute 
of  Pennsylvania  Hospital.  He  is  a trustee  and 
past  president  of  the  Tyler  Arboretum, 
Lima,  Pa.,  and  a director  of  the  American 
Rhododendron  Society  and  the  Rhododen- 
dron Research  Foundation. 


23 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


(^)  by  Howard  J.  Holden 

The  productive  gardener  is  by  nature 
thrifty.  He  makes  the  most  of  his  avail- 
able space  and  places  plants  according 
to  a well  thought  out  plan.  The  garden 
calendar  is  part  of  that  plan  and  is  use- 
ful when  scheduling  sowings,  harvests 
and  successive  blooms.  The  productive 
gardener  never  throws  away  a pot,  even 
a plastic  one,  usually  thinks  twice 
before  relinquishing  a plant  to  the  com- 
post pile  and  almost  always  has  a con- 
tainer of  opened  seed  packets  with 
some  dating  back  to  1973. 

Indeed,  many  seeds  could  still  be 
viable  if  stored  for  such  a time  period. 
After  all,  1 ,000-year-old  lotus  seed  has 
been  germinated  and  a variety  of  other 
seeds  have  survived  one  or  two  centur- 
ies. Many  common  weed  seeds  germi- 
nate after  being  buried  for  30  years,  a 
phenomena  that  has  plagued  gardeners 
since  the  days  of  Cain  and  Abel.  Never- 
theless, the  gardener  can  benefit  from 
this  vitality  since  many  garden  seeds 
will  remain  viable  from  two  to  five 
years  if  properly  stored.  In  these  days 
of  rising  costs  the  seeds  may  even  be 
considered  a minor  investment. 

The  following  chart  shows  viability; 
it  is  compiled  from  personal  experience 
and  respected  sources.  Some  seed  can 
be  stored  even  longer  than  the  chart 
suggests.  Some  records  show,  for  ex- 
ample, that  celery,  tomato,  and  pepper 
seed  have  remained  viable  for  10  years 
and  aster  seed  for  13.  I suggest  the 
novice  do  a bit  of  experimenting  before 
relying  on  such  data. 

what  determines  viability 

The  length  of  time  a seed  will  remain 
viable  depends  on  its  genetic  makeup 
as  well  as  environmental  conditions 
both  on  and  off  the  parent  plant.  Most 


SEED  VIABILITY 

Viability 

Vegetables 

(years) 

Bean 

3 

Beets 

3 

Broccoli 

5 

Cabbage 

3 

Carrots 

5 

Celery 

5 

Corn 

1 

Cucurbits 

4 

Eggplant 

5 

Endive 

5 

Lettuce 

4 

Okra 

4 

Onion 

2 

Parsley 

2 

Parsnip 

2 

Peas 

2 

Pepper 

3 

Radish 

3 

Spinach 

3 

Tomato 

4 

Viability 

Flowers 

(years) 

Ageratum 

4 

Alyssum 

4 

Antirrhinum 

3 

Aquilegia 

2 

Aster 

1 

Browalia 

2 

Candytuft 

2 

Celosia 

4 

Coleus 

2 

Dahlia 

2 

Delphinium 

1 

Dianthus 

3 

Digitalis 

2 

Geranium 

1 

Impatiens 

2 

Marigold 

2 

Nasturtium 

5 

Nicotiana 

3 

Pansy 

1 

Petunia 

2 

Portulaca 

3 

Salvia 

1 

Verbena 

1 

Zinnia 

5 

seeds  contain  a food  reserve  and  a pro- 
tective seed  coat  that  preserve  and  pro- 
tect the  plant  embryo  within.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  orchid  seed  has  no 
food  reserve  and  therefore  must  rely 
upon  a symbiotic  relationship  with  a 
fungus  to  germinate.  Some  seeds,  such 
as  willow,  die  if  they  don't  germinate 
soon  after  falling  from  the  parent  plant. 

Many  woody  plants  produce  seeds 
that  often  have  a dormancy  or  double 
dormancy  that  deliberately  retards 
development  to  time  growth  with  opti- 
mum climatic  conditions. 

Another  variable  determining  seed 
longevity  is  the  environmental  condi- 
tions at  the  time  of  seed  development. 
If  the  parent  plant  is  subjected  to 
unusual  stress,  such  as  drought  or  ex- 
treme cold,  the  developing  seed  of  that 
plant  will  most  likely  be  inferior  and 
may  not  stand  the  test  of  time. 

The  gardener  has  control  over  two 
variables:  temperature  and  humidity 
of  the  area  in  which  seed  is  stored.  The 
oldest  and  simplest  method  of  prolong- 
ing seed  viability  is  to  store  dry  seeds 
in  bags  at  room  temperature.  Viability 
can  be  greatly  increased,  however,  if 
seeds  are  stored  at  40° F in  an  airtight 
container.  This  container  should  be 
capable  of  keeping  out  insects  and  mice 
while  maintaining  the  moisture  in  the 
seeds.  Humidity  should  not  exceed  50% 
for  maximum  storage. 

Here  are  a few  general  rules  for  pre- 
serving seeds: 

• Usually,  the  larger  the  seed  the  long- 
er it  will  remain  viable. 

• A very  smooth  and  polished  seed 
coat  indicates  that  the  seed  can  be 
stored  for  a long  time. 

• Seeds  of  cultivated  plants  often 
have  thinner  seed  coats  than  their 
wild  counterparts,  particularly 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photos  by  author 


String  beans. 

Germination:  12/75  88%;  3/79  86% 


Most  seeds  contain  a food  reserve  and  a protective  seed 
coat.  The  coats  preserve  and  protect  the  embryo  within. 


Sweet  corn. 

Germination:  1/77  84%;  3/79  80% 


those  used  for  food.  Thus  longevity 
is  reduced. 

• Longevity  can  differ  between  varie- 
ties. 

• Some  seeds,  such  as  lettuce,  produce 
stunted  plants  as  the  seed  becomes 
older. 

• The  older  the  seed  becomes  the 
thicker  it  should  be  sown  to  com- 
pensate for  the  reduced  percentage 
of  germination. 

• The  usefulness  of  preserving  seed  is 
limited.  Sowing  seeds  that  are  low 
in  viability  is  not  productive. 

a test 

The  experimental  process  should 


include  an  indoor  germination  test 
about  this  time  of  year.  Place  a pre- 
determined number  of  seeds  between 
two  moist  paper  towels,  cover  with  a 
plastic  bag  to  reduce  evaporation  and 
keep  at  room  temperature.  When  all 
signs  of  germination  cease,  divide  the 
number  of  seeds  germinated  by  the 
total  number  of  seeds  and  the  result 
will  be  the  germination  percentage. 
Since  the  test  is  taken  under  ideal  con- 
ditions, germination  in  the  garden  will 
be  lower  than  this  percentage.  The  gar 
dener,  however,  can  use  this  figure  to 
approximate  how  thickly  the  seed 
should  be  sown.  For  example,  three- 
year-old  bean  seed  scored  an  86%  in  a 


recent  test  I ran,  indicating  the  seed 
should  be  sown  at  a near  normal  rate. 
On  the  other  hand,  three-year-old  beet 
seed  scored  only  60%,  suggesting  a 
heavy  sowing  would  be  in  order.  I have 
found  most  seed  scoring  less  than  60% 
not  worth  sowing. 

I hope  you  won't  have  to  buy  as 
much  seed  as  anticipated  this  year, 
unless  you  are  like  me.  The  money 
saved  from  using  stored  seed  is  applied 
to  the  untried  and  new. 

• 

Howard  Holden  received  his  degree  in  orna- 
mental horticulture  from  Delaware  Valley 
College  and  is  horticulturist/superintendent 
of  "Chanticleer,"  a private  estate. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


26 


1 Foreground,  Japanese  green  leaf  cut  leaf  maple 
(Acer  palmatum).  Dwarf  Alberta  spruce  (Picea 
glauca)  with  Japanese  iris  in  front  of  it. 

2 Blue  spruce  (Picea  pungens  'Glauca')  on  right  side. 
Pachysandra  ground  cover  in  background. 

3 Right,  Japanese  green  leaf  (Acer palmatum)  cut  leaf 
maple.  Left  foreground,  Japanese  iris.  Background, 
red  and  white  blooming  azaleas. 


2 


Constructing 
a Mountain 
Brook 
with  a 
Rock  Garden 


(^)  by  Werner  Kirmse 

Werner  Kirmse  is  an  amateur  gardener  and 
photographer.  He  has  taken  courses  in  horti- 
culture and  landscape  design  at  Temple  Uni- 
versity, Ambler  Campus. 


Many  of  the  elements  for  creating  a 
rock  garden  and  brook  were  there : two 
south  facing  slopes  with  intermediate 
terraces  and  nothing  growing  but  grass; 
an  appreciation  of  the  beauty  of 
weathered  rocks  and  water  washed 
stones;  an  appreciation  of  the  Japanese 
theory  of  rock  arrangements  mechani- 
cal and  electrical  ability  to,  at  least, 
try  anything,  and  finally  a love  of 
gardening. 


In  my  mind,  almost  all  of  the  work 
could  be  accomplished  with  lots  of 
brawn  and  ordinary  tools.  The  excep- 
tion to  that  was  the  question  of  how 
to  construct  a brook  using  not-cheap 
Philadelphia  Suburban  Water  Co.  water, 
keeping  the  brook  from  leaking,  and 
where  and  how  to  get  big  weathered 
rocks  and  water  washed  stones  at  little 
or  no  cost. 

Page  141  of  America's  Garden  Book 


by  Bush-Brown  lists  the  advantages  of 
constructing  a garden  pool  using  sheet 
lead  instead  of  concrete.  It  seemed  to 
be  the  method  for  me:  less  excavation, 
no  form  work,  no  reinforcing  rods,  no 
concrete  to  wheel,  and  a naturalistic 
pool  design  with  an  irregular  outline. 

I knew  the  lead  was  available  at  plumb- 
ing supply  houses  in  rolls  4 ft.  wide, 
which  meant  the  seams  would  have 
to  be  soldered.  I was  sure  that  I could 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photos  supplied  by  author 


Early  construction  view  from  pool  looking  up  hill. 


manage  that  with  a little  practice, 

rocks  and  stones 

I slowly  started  to  pick  up  and 
accumulate  water  washed  stones  and 
attractive  weathered  rocks.  When  you 
become  serious  about  it,  though,  you 
quickly  realize  that  you  are  taking  them 
illegally  from  either  private  property 
or  public  land.  And  if  you  rent  a trailer 
and  pull  up  alongside  the  Perkiomen 
and  start  loading  the  trailer  with  water 
washed  stones  (as  I did  one  week- 
end) you  may  well  be  confronted  with 
an  irate  owner  (as  I was  one  weekend). 
You  also  find  out  quickly  that  rocks 
are  heavy,  and  hard  to  lift. 

I ended  up  buying  water  washed 
rocks  at  the  quarry  in  Lumberville.  I 
also  found  a farmer  in  the  Green  Lane 
area  (lots  of  granite  outcroppings)  who 
would  let  me  back  up  a rented  low  bed 
trailer  and  roll  or  coax  a rock  too  heavy 
to  lift  onto  the  trailer. 

I took  all  heavy  materials,  such  as 
the  rolls  of  sheet  lead  and  rocks  and 
stones  to  the  site  (the  back  yard) , drove 
over  the  lawn  and  unloaded  by  sliding 
or  rolling  the  load  to  the  approximate 
final  location. 

Everything  was  now  possible.  Now 
we  could  really  begin. 

The  general  design  consisted  of  a 
pool  with  stepping  stones  on  the  top 
terrace,  a waterfall  to  a second  pool  on 
the  middle  terrace,  a babbling  brook 
to  a third  pool  on  the  lower  terrace,  all 
surrounded  with  rocks  and  plants  that 
look  quite  natural. 

the  mechanical  and 
electrical  aspects 

The  first  step  was  the  mechanical 
and  electrical  part  (not  too  tough  for 
me  since  I have  an  engineering  back- 
ground and  work  for  a contractor).  I 
installed  electrical  wire  underground 
to  a light  in  an  oak  tree  for  garden 
illumination,  to  the  lower  pool  for  the 
recirculating  water  pump,  and  to  a 
couple  of  service  outlets  at  the  top 
terrace. 

The  system  consists  of  two  electrical 
circuits,  one  for  the  water  recirculating 
pump,  the  other  for  the  lights  and  ser- 
vice outlets.  Each  circuit  is  energized 


through  an  automatic  timer.  The  pump 
is  started  at  7 am  and  stopped  at  1 1 
pm.  The  lights  come  on  at  dusk  and  go 
off  at  1 1 pm.  The  wire  is  waterproof 
cable  buried  approximately  four  to  six 
inches  in  the  ground. 

I installed  plastic  water  piping 
underground  to  the  lower  pool.  Water 
is  fed  into  the  lower  pool  through  a 
valve,  which  is  automatically  turned 
off  by  a float  when  the  pool  is  full. 
Water  lost  through  evaporation  and 
small  leaks  is,  thereby,  always  added. 
Additional  water  piping  was  installed 
between  the  bottom  pool  and  the  top 
pool  for  water  recirculation  and  to  a 
couple  of  hose  outlets  at  the  top  ter- 
race. The  system  was  designed  to  be 
drained  in  the  winter.  The  piping, 
therefore,  could  be  installed  in  a shal- 
low trench  and  excavation  kept  to  a 
minimum. 

I did  all  of  the  digging  and  earth- 
work manually.  As  mentioned  before, 
trenching  for  water  piping  and  electri- 
cal cable  was  kept  to  a minimum.  The 
general  contour  of  the  land  was  main- 
tained. The  terraces  were  already  there. 
The  pools  are  comparatively  shallow. 
The  excavated  earth  from  the  pools  was 
used  as  fill  in  back  of  the  rocks.  Addi- 
tional earth  for  this  purpose  was 


brought  in  by  wheelbarrow  from  an 
undeveloped  adjoining  property. 

The  entire  pool,  waterfall  and  brook 
system  is  one  continuous  lead  sheet, 
molded  in  place  and  painstakingly 
soldered.  (Not  as  easy  as  I thought  it 
would  be.) 

Rocks  were  carefully  selected  and 
placed  for  the  waterfall  and  for  the 
brook.  I had  to  imagine  how  water 
would  flow  over  the  rock  and  where  it 
would  hit  to  make  the  proper  splashing 
and  gurgling  sounds— all  of  that  while 
there  was  no  water  flow. 

I placed  rocks  in  position  and  then 
repositioned  as  I tried  to  visualize  the 
final  results.  And  then  I had  to  bury 
and  hide  most  of  the  rock  that  I had 
moved  from  the  Green  Lane  area  with 
much  effort  to  achieve  a natural  look. 
(See  "Planting  Rocks"  by  Frederic 
Ballard,  Green  Scene,  Sept.  1976.) 

When  the  pools  were  finished  and 
lined  with  water  washed  stones,  the 
submersible  recirculating  pump  in  place, 
the  water  turned  on,  the  leaks  fixed, 
and  all  the  electrical  and  mechanical 
kinks  were  worked  out,  the  path 
through  the  garden  constructed,  an 
untold  amount  of  top  soil  was  brought 
in  to  fill  in  the  back  of  the  weathered 
rocks.  Finally  I wasableto  think  about 

continued 


27 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


28 


plants— what  kind  and  where  to  getthem. 

The  original  planting  concept  was 
Japanese.  We  wanted  dwarf  evergreens 
that  were  to  be  kept  pruned.  The  space 
between  plants  and  rocks  was  to  be 
filled  in  with  ground  covers.  We  de- 
pended upon  the  advice  of  the  nursery 
that  supplied  plants  to  "Swiss  Pines" 
in  Phoenixville. 

The  major  planting  elements  consist 
of  two  Japanese  cut  leaf  maples  ( Acer 
palmatum  'Dissectum')  one  red  leaf, 
one  green  leaf,  at  each  end  of  the  lower 
pool;  a dwarf  Hinoki  cypress  (Chamae- 
cyparis  obtusa  'Nana'),  in  back  of  the 
lower  pool.  A pair  of  blue  spruce  (Picea 
pungens)  flank  the  middle  pool,  and  a 
cedar  of  Lebanon  (Cedrus  libani ' Steno- 
coma')  is  adjacent  to  the  top  pool. 
There  is  a weeping  beech  (Fagus  syl- 
vatica  'Pendula')  on  the- left  side  of  the 
garden  on  the  lower  level  and  a white 
dogwood  (Cornus  florida)  on  the  upper 
level  on  the  right  side.  A number  of 


dwarf  Alberta  spruce  (Picea  glauca 
'Conica')  are  sprinkled  through  the 
garden.  The  iris  are  poolside.  (See  box 
for  more  complete  plant  listing.) 

The  construction  period  covered  in 
this  article  took  two  years.  The  illus- 
tration shows  various  stages  of  con- 
struction. A garden  bench  has  since 
been  added,  and  the  garden  has  been 
enlarged  twice  subsequently.  The  pool, 
waterfall  and  brook  complex,  is  as 
originally  designed,  with  annual  leak 
repairs  and  minor  modifications. 

Sometimes,  on  a summer  evening 
sitting  on  the  garden  bench  listening  to 
the  soothing  sounds  of  the  water, 
watching  the  gold  fish  in  the  bottom 
pool  (prized  as  hors  d'oeuvres  by  local 
raccoon  population),  and  noting  how 
the  plants  have  naturalized  the  area 
and  hidden  most  of  the  construction 
(also  most  of  the  rocks),  I think  that 
sure  was  a crazy  project,  and  I am 
pleased  with  the  results. 


Plants  near  pools  and  brook 
Ground  Covers 

Ajuga  reptans,  carpet  bugle 
Cotoneaster  horizontalis,  cotoneaster 
Juniperus  horizontalis,  creeping  juniper 
Opuntia  compressa,  cactus 
Phlox  subulata,  creeping  phlox 
Thymus  vulgaris,  thyme 
Shrubs  and  Accent  Plants 
Buxus  sempervirens,  boxwood 
Corylus  avellana  'Contorta,'  hazel 
Iris  kamferi,  iris 
Iris  sibirica,  iris 
Iris  tectorum,  iris 

Picea  abies  (varieties),  bird's  nest  spruce 
Rhododendron  spp.,  azaleas 

Trees 

Acer  palmatum  'Dissectum,'  Japanese  cut 
leaf  maple 

Cedrus  libani  'Stenocoma,'  cedar  of 
Lebanon 

Chamaecyparis  obtusa  'Nana,'  dwarf  Hin- 
oki cypress 

Cornus  florida,  white  dogwood 
Fagus  sylvatica  'Pendula,'  weeping  beech 
Picea  glauca  'Conica,'  dwarf  Alberta 
spruce 

Picea  pungens,  blue  spruce  . 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


The  Comforts 
of  Comfrey 

(^)  by  Jan  Riemer 

Having  been  a victim  of  "that  dread- 
ed disease"  with  a full  complement  of 
cobalt  treatments,  I was  naturally  inter- 
ested in  any  natural  healing  properties. 
Can  you  imagine  my  excitement  when 
I found  a plant  reported  to  contain  an 
ingredient  that  heals  and  restores  dam- 
aged cells. 

The  plant  is  comfrey  (Symphytum 
officinale)  and  the  magic  element  con- 
tained within  the  roots  and  young 
leaves  is  called  allantoin,  which  is 
responsible  for  growth  and  the  multipli- 
cation of  cells.  Although  there's  still 
much  to  be  learned  about  allantoin, 
scientists  do  know  that  pregnant  wom- 
en automatically  manufacture  allantoin 
during  the  early  stages  of  the  develop- 
ing embryo. 

planting  comfrey 

Once  established,  comfrey  is  hard 
to  eradicate,  but  because  it's  extremely 
difficult  to  start  from  seed,  we  ordered 
a half  dozen  root  cuttings.  Spring  is 
the  preferred  time  to  plant  comfrey 
because  it  requires  moisture,  but  our 
fall  planting  proved  successful.  We 
placed  each  cutting  vertically  in  pre- 
dug holes  that  allowed  the  tiny  green 
leaves  to  peek  through  the  soil,  and 
spaced  the  plants  24  in.  apart  in  loam 
that  had  been  prepared  with  dolomite, 
some  limestone,  manure  and  wood 
ashes.  After  firming  the  soil  securely 
around  each  plant,  we  soaked  the 
bed  and  waited  for  spring. 

As  promised,  the  shoots  were  among 
the  first  plants  to  make  their  debut. 
Knowing  that  the  allantoin  travels  from 
the  roots  into  the  baby  leaves  I lost  no 
time  gathering  the  tender  growth,  and 
served  the  leaves  that  tasted  like  aspara- 
gus and  endive  combined  as  a garnish 
in  our  salads. 

As  the  plant  developed  into  full  size 
—about  3V2  ft.— with  majestic  specimens 
of  leaves  that  looked  like  elephant  ears, 
the  leaves  become  too  coarse  and  hairy 
to  eat  raw,  but  our  experimenting  was 
just  beginning.  The  more  I learned 
about  this  herb,  the  more  intriguing  it 
became. 

After  selecting  the  largest  leaves  and 
rinsing  them  clean,  I steeped  them  in 
hot  water  for  about  30  minutes  along 


with  fresh  catnip,  lemon  balm,  mint, 
and  laced  the  decoction  with  a taste  of 
honey.  It  was  not  only  delicious  to  the 
palate,  but  supplied  a rich  source  of 
calcium,  potassium,  phosphorus,  trace 
minerals,  vitamins  A and  C and  some 
B-12,  which  is  rarely  found  in  vege- 
tables. According  to  Jethro  Kloss  in 
his  book.  Back  to  Eden,  a tea  made 
from  comfrey  leaves  aids  in  scrofula, 
anemia,  dysentery,  diarrhea,  leukorrhea 
and  dysmenorrhea. 

Comfrey  has  almost  as  many  com- 
mon names  as  it  has  uses— Quaker  com- 
frey, Russian  comfrey,  gumplant, 
prickly,  healing  herb,  blackwort,  slip- 
pery root  and  knitbone.  Working  on 
the  premise  that  it  did  heal  sprains, 
bruises  and  broken  bones  I began  an 
experiment  on  a friend  who  had  broken 
a finger.  Six  weeks  after  having  medical 
treatment,  it  remained  painful,  swollen 
and  unbendable.  In  desperation  she 
was  willing  to  resort  to  the  remedy 
used  during  the  Middle  Ages  for  mend- 
ing broken  bones  and  battle  wounds. 
Fortunately,  the  timing  was  perfect  as 

1 was  about  to  make  the  first  of  six 
cuttings  that  is  required  duringthe  first 
year's  growth.  (The  following  years 
need  only  five  cuttings,  always  leaving 

2 in.  so  the  root  isn't  damaged.)  Daily, 

I delivered  the  fresh  leaves,  which  she 
chopped  and  made  into  a thick  paste 
by  adding  a little  water.  After  wrapping 
the  mixture  in  a clean  gauze  she  tied  it 
onto  her  finger  where  it  remained  when 
she  went  to  bed.  At  the  end  of  the  week 
the  swelling  and  stiffness  had  disap- 
peared and  her  finger  was  virtually 
healed. 

no  waste 

There's  never  any  waste  to  comfrey. 
After  making  other  cuttings,  I stored 
some  of  the  medium  size  leaves  by 
freezing  them.  The  largest  leaves  were 
either  hung  to  dry  or  placed  in  a 150° 
oven  until  they  became  crisp  and 


crunchy.  After  removing  the  center 
membrane,  I stored  the  mixture  in  a 
tight  container  to  be  used  during  the 
winter  in  teas,  casseroles  and  home- 
made soups.  And  for  variety,  I brewed 
up  a batch  of  leaves  that  were  strained 
and  placed  in  the  freezer.  If  the  tea 
isn't  frozen  it  eventually  becomes  ran- 
cid and  emits  an  odor  resembling  rot- 
ten eggs. 

You  have  probably  correctly  sur- 
mised that  the  verdant  crop  of  six 
plants  developed  beyond  all  my  expec- 
tations. In  fact,  the  excess  was  almost 
too  much  to  handle,  so  I borrowed  an 
idea  from  organic  gardeners  who  raise 
comfrey  for  the  sole  purpose  of  enrich- 
ing the  compost  heap.  Had  we  owned 
a farm,  the  comfrey  would  have  also 
been  used  for  a perennial  fodder  crop. 

My  storage  efforts  weren't  in  vain, 
as  I had  an  occasion  to  use  the  defrost- 
ed leaves  as  a compress  to  aid  in  healing 
a painful  knee  condition.  And  when 
the  doctors  couldn't  diagnose  or  treat 
a body  rash,  the  itching  was  relieved 
and  the  rash  eventually  faded  after 
three  daily  applications  of  the  defrosted 
tea. 

Because  the  nutritional  value  in 
comfrey  is  much  more  pronounced  be- 
fore flowering,  we've  never  seen  the 
blossoms  that  produce  well-shaped 
flowers  in  shades  of  yellow,  mauve, 
blue  or  white,  but  I plan  to  transplant 
the  prolific  growth  and  use  some  of  it 
as  a handsome  border  plant.  When  that 
needs  thinning.  I'll  take  the  valuable 
roots,  dry  them,  and  grind  into  a pow- 
der which,  when  dissolved  in  water  to 
form  a mucilage  and  applied  directly 
to  bruises,  sprains,  broken  bones  and 
insect  bites,  is  considered  more  effec- 
tive than  the  leaves. 

My  all-purpose  comfrey  is  truly  a 
comfort. 

• 

Jan  Riemer  is  a frequent  contributor  to 
Green  Scene. 


29 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photo  by  author 


30 


The  Horticultural  Photographer 

(^)  by  L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman 


I am  going  to  assume  that  the  reader 
has  some  knowledge  of  photographic 
principles  and  techniques  as  well  as 
how  to  operate  a camera. 

To  further  simplify  the  scope  of  this 
article,  discussion  is  limited  to  the  use 
of  the  modern  single  lens  reflex  (SLR) 
cameras  and  35  mm  film.  Other  cam- 
eras such  as  the  35  mm  range  finder  or 
the  larger  format  bellows  type  camera 
can  be  used  but  they  each  have  certain 
limitations,  which  make  them  less 
adaptable  and  less  convenient  than  the 
SLR  camera. 

What  we  are  interested  in  here  is 
photographing  a garden  or  a part  of  it. 
The  following  comments  about  lenses 
are  just  as  applicable  whether  you  are 
using  black  and  white  or  color  film. 

For  the  general  garden  shot  a lens 
of  35  mm  focal  length,  which  is  con- 
sidered a medium  wide  angle,  is  a basic 
tool.  In  crowded  areasa  28  mm,  24  mm 
or  even  20  mm  can  be  used  to  advan- 
tage. This  is  especially  true  if  there  is 
no  architectural  structure  in  the  picture 
area,  because  converging  lines  or  simi- 
lar distortion,  which  are  more  likely 
with  very  wide  angles,  can  be  a disturb- 
ing factor. 

There  is  no  question  that  you  can 
obtain  superior  results  if  you  use  a good 
tripod.  A tripod  compels  more  serious 
attention  to  composition,  and  you  are 
certain  to  get  sharper  pictures  without 
the  movement  inherent  in  hand-held 
exposures.  If  circumstances  are  such 
that  a tripod  is  not  feasible,  then  it's 
best  to  use  a shutter  speed  no  slower 
than  1/125.  Be  alert  to  breezes.  Flower 
movement  can  cause  blurring  if  the 
wind  velocity  is  greater  than  five  to 
seven  miles  per  hour.  If  it  is  necessary 
to  take  pictures  even  though  it  may  be 
windy,  step  up  the  shutter  speed  to 
1 /250th  or  even  1 /500th  of  a second. 
That  will  probably  require  opening  the 
lens  aperture  too  wide  to  give  sufficient 
depth  of  field.  Then  use  a high  speed 
ASA  400  film.  That  will  make  it  pos- 
sible to  use  a smaller  diaphragm  open- 
ing, which  is  desirable  to  achieve  the 
greater  depth  of  field.  Other  things 
being  equal,  it  is  best  to  use  a lens 


opening  of  F/16  or  F/8  to  get  the 
flowers  in  the  foreground  and  in  the 
background  in  sharp  focus.  No  discus- 
sion is  being  offered  here  about  the 
background  other  than  that  supplied 
by  the  garden  itself.  Fences  and  hedges 
cut  down  on  distracting  backgrounds. 

If  you  are  not  shooting  in  color,  the 
black  and  white  panchromatic  film 
with  a speed  of  ASA  100  is  recom- 
mended. In  order  to  obtain  a better 
color  contrast  for  a black  and  white 
print,  a 2x  yellow  or  green  filter 
enhances  the  effect.  For  more  infor- 
mation a little  study  of  specialized 
photo  treatiseson  the  use  of  filterswill 
be  very  helpful. 

In  the  use  of  color  film,  a slow  film 
(ASA  25)  will  give  the  finest  grain. 


Under  adverse  light  conditions,  how- 
ever, color  film  of  speed  ASA  400  will 
give  surprisingly  good  results  although 
not  as  fine  a grain. 

light 

Consider  the  character  of  the  light 
when  photographing  outdoors.  Midday 
sunlight  is  usually  too  harsh,  creating 
deep  shadows  devoid  of  detail  and 
washed  out  highlights.  At  any  time  of 
day  taking  pictures  with  the  sunlight 
at  your  back  makes  for  flat  lighting 
and  greatly  reduces  the  sense  of  three 
dimensional  form.  To  avoid  this,  photo- 
graph out  of  doors  before  10  am  and 
after  3 pm,  and  from  such  a position 
that  the  object  you  are  photographing 
will  have  the  light  falling  upon  it  either 


Cameras  and  Some  Equipment 

Clockwise  starting  with  camera  in  upper  left  hand: 

Camera  with  35  mm  semi-wide  angle  lens,  also  showing  a right  angle  viewing  device  fastened 
to  regular  view  finder  for  when  camera  is  used  at  ground  level. 

Other  camera  has  long  focus  lens  which  has  macro  capability  and  also  shows  a hand  grip 
and  holder  for  flash  gun. 

A spot  meter  and  a combined  incident  and  reflected  light  meter. 

Flash  gun— automatic  sensor  with  reflecting  cardboard  mount. 

Wide  angle  lens  21  mm 

4 extension  rings  for  using  regular  lens  for  close-ups.  Bellows  attachment  for  extreme 
close-ups. 

Flash  ring  light  for  close-up  lighting  of  certain  kinds. 

Collapsible  reflector  for  flash  bulbs. 

Small  tripod  with  sliding  track  for  moving  the  camera  position  in  close-up  work. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


photos  by  author 


LESS  HARSH 
CONTRAST 
PRODUCED  BY 
DISPERSED 
LIGHT  FROM 
BROAD  AREA 
OF  REFLECTOR 


SENSOR 
FOR  AUTOMATIC 
EXPOSURE 
ON  FLASH  UNIT 


PLANT 

6' FROM  CAMERA. 
PROBABLY  THE 
Z"  FLOWER  WILL  FILL 
FRAME  WITH  2 " SPACE 
ON  ALL  SIDES 


STANDARD 
WHITE 
CARDBOARD 
REFLECTOR 
HELD  BY  FRAME 

FLASH  UNIT 
DIRECTING  LIGHT 
UPWARDS  AGAINST 
^ 4 5° ANGLE  OF 
^ REFLECTOR 


-WHOLE  UNIT 
CAN  BE  TILTED 
OR  REFLECTOR 
CAN  BE  SET  AT 
DIFFERENT  ANGLE 


70MM  2IOMM 
VARIABLE  FOCUS 
LENS  WITH  MACRO 
CAPABILITY 


Y 

TABLE  TOP 
TRIPOD 


MEDIUM  CLOSE-UP  USING  A BOUNCE  FLASH 


from  the  left  or  right  side.  In  this  man- 


ner the  shadows  will  be  directed  so  as 
to  define  form.  An  exception  to  this  is 
a bright  overcast  day  when  shadows 
are  not  sharply  defined.  At  that  time 
suitable  pictures  can  be  made  from 
almost  any  angle.  One  notable  distinc- 
tion between  color  and  black  and  white 
film,  aside  from  the  depiction  of  color 
or  lack  of  it,  is  that  black  and  white 
film  affords  better  gradations  from 
highlight  to  shadow  than  color  film. 
That  is  another  reason  why  with  color 
film  it  is  so  essential  to  avoid  the  time 
of  day  when  contrasts  are  greater;  the 
film  cannot  adequately  record  the  gra- 
dation of  the  extreme  range  from 
bright  light  to  deepest  shadow. 

close-ups 

The  next  item  is  that  of  taking  close- 
ups  of  small  flowers  or  even  a portion 
of  a small  flower.  That  includes  any- 
thing from  a whole  sunflower  to  a 
single  floret  of  the  head  of  an  astilbe. 

I must  reiterate:  a tripod  isdefinitely 
essential  for  close-up  photography.  No 
one  can  hold  a camera  steady  enough 
when  any  degree  of  magnification  is 
required.  The  si ighest  tremor  is  exagger- 
ated into  a wide  swing  on  the  film  when 
long  focus  and  magnification  are  com- 
bined. The  slightest  movement  means 
the  image  won't  be  sharp.  An  additional 


aid  is  a track  mounted  on  the  tripod 
head  permitting  small  adjustments  of 
distance  from  camera  to  subject. 

There  are  several  options  for  close- 
up  work.  Supplementary  lenses  of  one 
to  10  diopters  can  be  used  mounted  in 
front  of  the  camera  lens  to  bring  the 
subject  closer.  These  lenses  are  not  as 
sharp  at  wider  apertures  and  should  be 
stopped  down  considerably  (use  lower 
F stop)  to  achieve  a desirable  degree  of 
resolution.  The  macro  lens  is  better 
because  you  can  move  the  camera  to 
within  2 in.  to  4 in.  of  the  subject.  A 
90  mm  macro  is  preferred  because  you 
don't  have  to  get  so  close  to  the  plant 
that  the  camera  or  operator  will  cast  a 
shadow.  Extension  tubes  are  available 
which,  when  placed  between  the  lens 
and  camera,  make  it  possible  to  use  a 
normal  lens  for  getting  close-ups.  Such 
extensions  change  the  reading  of  the  F 
stop  numbers  on  the  diaphragm  ring 
of  the  lens  barrel,  but  a-through-the- 
lens  meter  with  automatic  lens  obviates 
this  as  a problem  when  determining 
exposure. 

A bellows  extension,  interposed 
between  the  lens  and  the  camera  body, 
can  vary  magnification  and  is  suitable 
for  normal  outdoor  lighting.  These  ex- 
tensions are  most  useful  for  photograph- 
ing the  smallest  subjects.  Another  vari- 
ation is  the  newer  variable  long  focus 


lens  available  with  a macro  capability. 
It  permits  the  photographer  to  be  a 
distance  away  from  the  small  object 
and  still  to  obtain  a large  image  on  the 
reflex  finder  or  to  vary  the  size  of  the 
image.  A 70  mm  to  200  mm  variable 
focus  telephoto  is  a good  range  to 
select  for  this  purpose.  The  exposure 
can  be  read  by  the  through-the-lens 
meter  for  outdoor  light  as  with  any 
focal  length  lens.  For  indoors,  flash 
photography  requires  some  special  cal- 
culation to  determine  the  true  F stop 
or  diaphragm  opening  unless  a flash 
meter  is  used.  Automatic  flash  exposure 
units  are  also  available. 

If  close-up  pictures  are  to  be  taken 
by  other  artificial  light  a different  set 
of  circumstances  prevail. 

Photoflood  lamps  or  other  kinds  of 
incandescent  bulbs  can  be  used  on  light 
stands  or  a copying  stand.  Such  light 
sources  may  require  special  filters  for 
color  work  as  the  color  temperature 
varies  with  different  bulbs.  Also  incan- 
descent bulbs  of  any  kind  change  their 
spectral  output  as  they  age  by  use. 
And  finally,  a very  practical  problem: 
heat  can  cause  flowers  to  wilt  rapidly 
when  lights  are  close. 

The  most  convenient,  compact  and 
efficient  choice  of  artificial  lighting 
comes  down  to  either  photoflash  bulbs 
or  electronic  flash.  The  more  sophisti- 
cated electronic  flash  units  adjust 
themselves  so  that  the  proper  amount 
of  light  reaches  the  object  and  is  re- 
flected back  to  a sensor  to  give  correct 
exposure.  Since  light  strength  varies  as 
to  the  square  of  the  distance  from  its 
source,  all  the  other  methods  require 
tables  and  careful  calculations  to  arrive 
at  correct  exposure. 

One  refinement  in  artificial  lighting 
is  to  use  an  automatic  flash  unit  with  a 
piece  of  white  cardboard,  8 in.  x 10  in., 
set  at  an  angle  at  45°  to  the  flash  unit 
which  faces  straight  up  in  the  air,  to 
provide  a reflected  light  (see  illustra- 
tion). This  dispersal  cuts  the  intensity 
of  the  light  by  2'/z  times.  In  close-up 
work  where  the  subject  is  only  a few 
feet  from  camera  the  light  is  powerful 
enough  to  use  a relatively  small  F stop. 

continued 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Photographer  continued 


32 


This  is  also  known  as  a bounce  light.  A 
special  umbrella  with  a silvered  inside 
lining  can  be  used  in  this  way  too.  Dis- 
persed lighting  makes  the  subject  stand 
out  more  clearly  and  is  a desirable  com- 
bination of  good  lighting  with  the  con- 
venience of  automation. 

A man  in  California  who  has  taken 
more  than  40,000  close-up  color  slides 
of  orchid  flowers  uses  a bellows  and  a 
telezoom,  macro  combination  lens  for 
extreme  close-ups.  He  employs  a sys- 
tem of  three  synchronized  flash  units. 
The  combination  with  his  standard  back- 
ground of  black  has  produced  the  best 
all  around  color  rendition  for  color 
reproductions.  A flash  meter  is  used  to 
measure  each  exposure  and  one  picture 
is  taken  at  that  reading  and  one  at  Vi 
stop  above  and  one  at  a full  stop  below. 
This  method  of  bracketing  exposure  is 
well  worth  the  cost  of  the  film  to  be 
assured  of  the  nearest  perfect  exposure 
in  any  kind  of  photography.  Such  a 
method  is  probably  the  most  deluxe  of 
all  those  described  here  and  is  men- 
tioned only  to  show  what  can  be  done. 

I have  used  all  these  methods  except 
the  last  one.  I too  would  recommend  a 
black  background.  In  my  opinion  the 
simplest  and  most  generally  useful 
method  for  close-ups  is  the  telezoom- 
macro  lens  in  conjunction  with  the 
bounce  reflector  and  automatic  flash. 
As  the  photographer  gets  into  this 
fascinating  field  he  will  find  experiment- 
ing on  his  own  will  lead  to  uncharted 
and  surprisingly  interesting  results. 

• 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman  is  the  chairman  of 
the  PHS  Council.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
Philadelphia  Flower  & Garden  Show  in  1974 
and  75.  He  is  an  avid  photographer  and  an 
orchid  enthusiast.  Zimmerman  began  play- 
ing around  with  photography  when  he  was 
1 2 years  old,  using  a Graflex.  He  was  chair- 
man of  the  Miniature  Camera  Club  of  Phila- 
delphia, International  Photographic  Salon  in 
1939. 


Swamp  hyacinth,  Helonias  bullata 


Lobelia  cardinal  is 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


\ 

Shooting  at  the  Philadelphia  Flower  & Garden  Show 


For  people  who  wish  to  take  photo- 
graphs at  the  Philadelphia  Flower  and 
Garden  Show,  most  of  the  procedures 
outlined  here  apply.  There  are  some 
special  differences,  however.  The  lighting 
is  a mixture  of  fluorescent  and  incandes- 
cent which,  while  it  is  a good  mix  for  the 
human  eye  to  appreciate  color,  is  a prob- 
lem from  a spectral  standpoint  for  film 
to  record.  Ordinarily,  daylight  film  with 
a filter,  or  color  film  designed  for  artifi- 
cial light,  would  seem  the  logical  solution. 
But  depending  upon  the  closeness  of  the 
area  being  photographed  to  either  a pre- 
ponderance of  incandescent  or  fluores- 
cent light,  which  determines  the  spectral 
makeup  of  the  light,  the  distorted  colors 
may  or  may  not  be  pleasing.  The  photo- 
graphs would  have  an  overall  hue  of 
orange-gold  or  a slightly  muddy  cast. 

Until  recently  the  problem  was  insolu- 
ble. However,  the  recently  introduced 
Kodacolor  400  negative  film  (ASA  400) 
designed  for  making  prints,  gives  surpris- 
ingly good  color.  I have  not  used  the 


other  brands  of  color  ASA  400  films 
either  negative  or  positive;  they  might  do 
just  as  well. 

If  you  are  using  flash  close-up,  of 
course,  you  can  use  a regular  color  film 
of  any  speed,  negative  or  positive. 

If  the  purpose  is  just  to  take  overall 
views  or  photographs  of  whole  exhibits, 
an  SLR  with  a wide  angle  lens  of  20  mm 
or  24  mm  will  be  best.  With  a tripod, 
shutter  speeds  low  enough  to  use  the 
available  light  can  be  used.  In  this  way  a 
small  diaphragm  opening  can  be  used  also. 
Flash  cannot  cover  wide  and  distant  areas 
with  sufficient  light. 

A 35  mm  or  50  mm  focal  length  will 
not  include  enough  of  the  scene  because 
you  won't  be  able  to  back  away  far 
enough.  A 20  mm,  24  mm  or  28  mm  is 
more  satisfactory. 

If  the  purpose  is  to  get  close-ups  of 
niches  or  single  plant  specimens,  then 
the  reflector  flash  with  a medium  range 
zoom  would  be  best. 

If  you  want  to  do  all  these  things. 


two  cameras  would  be  a great  conven- 
ience. You  would  not  have  to  change 
lenses  for  the  variations  in  distance  and 
sizes  of  areas  to  be  photographed.  When 
using  an  automatic  flash,  be  sure  the  unit 
has  enough  power  to  carry  the  distance 
and  in  the  case  of  the  bounce  flash  to 
accommodate  the  2%  times  reduction  in 
usable  light.  Incidentally,  the  bounce 
light  pretty  well  takes  care  of  the  extreme 
wide  angle  photo  if  the  distance  is  not 
too  great.  Wide  angle  lens  use  presents  a 
problem  of  fall-off  in  illumination  at  the 
edges  with  straight  forward  flash.  With 
very  wide  angles  a tripod  is  better, 
although  with  the  flash,  when  the  shot  is 
close,  handheld  exposures  are  satisfactory. 

How  do  you  get  pictures  when  there 
are  too  many  people  near  your  subject? 
Become  an  exhibitor  so  you  will  be  eli- 
gible to  come  in  early  Saturday  morning 
before  judging  or  early  Sunday  morning, 
the  opening  days  of  the  Show. 


GLOSSARY 


ASA: 


Bellows: 


Bracket: 


Depth  of  Field: 


f-stop: 


All  film  has  an  ASA  number  which  makes  it  easier 
for  photographers  to  calculate  exposure  time.  The 
ASA  number  is  set  on  a dial  on  the  exposure  meter. 
The  ASA  or  speed  number  expresses  the  film’s  sensi- 
tivity to  light.  The  higher  the  number,  the  more 
sensitive  and  faster  the  film.  Other  factors  being 
equal,  the  faster  the  film  (ASA  400  is  very  fast;  ASA 
25  is  slow),  the  shorter  the  exposure  and  conse- 
quently the  less  danger  of  blur  due  to  accidental 
movement;  the  smaller  the  diaphragm  stop  that  can 
be  used,  the  greater  the  extent  of  sharpness  in  depth. 

A collapsible  cloth  or  cardboard  tube  placed  be- 
tween the  lens  and  film  in  a camera  (or  enlarger); 
the  image  can  be  focused  by  contracting  or  expand- 
ing the  bellows. 

A way  to  ensure  a well-exposed  negative;  an  expo- 
sure is  taken  according  to  a light-meter  reading,  then 
another  one  half  or  a full  stop  higher  (smaller  dia- 
phragm opening)  or  lower  (larger  diaphragm  open- 
ing) than  the  original,  allowing  more  or  less  light 
into  the  film. 

When  the  camera  lens  is  focused  on  a particular  ob- 
ject, the  image  is  sharp.  Other  objects  near  the  sharp- 
est image  or  further  away  are  softer,  or  blurred. 
Depth  of  field  is  the  zone  from  the  point  closest  to 
the  camera  to  the  point  farthest  from  the  camera 
that  is  acceptably  in  focus. 

Relative  aperture,  the  measure  of  lens  speed,  is  ex- 
pressed in  f-stops.  The  f-number  is  a fraction:  an 
aperture  with  a diameter  equal  to  1/8  the  focal 
length  is  f/8;  one  that  is  1 / 2 the  focal  length  is  f/2. 
At  f/8  the  aperture  of  an  8 in.  lens  is  one  inch 


across;  so  is  f/2  on  a 2-in.  focal-length  lens. 

Filter:  A color  filter  changes  the  response  of  a photographic 

emulsion  to  light  and  color.  Its  function  is  to  alter 
the  rendition  of  color  in  terms  of  either  black  and 
white  or  color  to  produce  a picture  that  is  clearer, 
more  accurate,  more  interesting,  or  more  beautiful 
than  it  would  be  if  no  filter  were  used. 

Grain:  In  general,  slower  films  either  in  black  or  white  or 

color  (as  shown  by  their  ASA  ratings)  are  finer  grain 
than  faster  emulsions.  This  is  not  as  pronounced  a 
difference  as  it  once  was.  The  slightly  mealy  appear- 
ance of  the  image  or  negative  is  evidence  of  grain 
and  is  most  noticeable  on  enlarged  prints  and  is  less 
pleasant  than  a sharp  image.  Overexposed  negatives 
can  also  give  a more  grainy  appearance.  The  reason 
is  a greater  clumping  together  of  the  silver  particles 
in  the  film  emulsion  during  development. 

Stop  Down:  To  stop  down  means  to  reduce  the  f stop  or  dia- 

phragm from  a wider  opening,  e.g.,  from  the  f/2 
position  to  f/8.  The  smaller  opening  increases  the 
apparent  depth  of  field,  allowing  a sharper  image. 
Increasing  or  decreasing  the  f-stop  is  an  important 
factor  in  exposure  since  the  diaphragm  controls  the 
amount  of  light  passing  through  the  lens. 

References  for  Glossary: 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman 

Black  & White  Photography : A Basic  Manual,  Henry  Horenstein, 
Little  Brown,  1974. 

The  Complete  Photographer,  Andreas  Feininger,  Prentice-Hall, 
(1965),  9th  printing  1971. 

The  Craft  of  Photography  (Updated  Edition),  David  Vestal,  Harper, 
Colophon  Books,  1975.  / 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


growing  interests 


34 


The  date  palm  air  layered 


Phoenix  dactylifera 

After  reading  George  Elbert's  article 
about  air  layering  the  parlor  palm 
(Chamaedorea  elegans),  I thought  the 
following  facts  might  explain  why  the 
palm  air  layered  so  easily.  In  its  native 
jungles  in  Mexico,  the  parlor  palm 
grows  as  tall  as  its  narrow  stem  will 
permit.  It  then  falls  over,  roots,  and 
grows  up  again.  The  process  is  repeated 
again  and  again.  Thus  it  is  well  adapted 
to  air  layering.  The  low  light  levels  on 
the  floor  of  these  dense  jungles  is  also 


The  new  palm  potted.  It  began  to  grow 
immediately. 


o 

-C 

=5 
TO 
> 
n 

C/> 

O 

o 

-C 

a 

one  of  the  reasons  this  palm  does  so 
well  in  the  "parlors"  of  our  often  dimly 
lit  homes. 

I had  an  experience  similar  to  Elbert's 
but  my  purpose  was  different.  Elbert 
wanted  to  air  layer  his  parlor  palm  to 
rejuvenate  a dying  plant  and  reduce  its 
size.  I wanted  to  produce  a younger, 
smaller  root  system  and  to  reduce  the 
overall  vigor  of  the  plant,  a date  palm 
(Phoenix  dactylifera) . Its  roots  had  be- 
come so  large  and  tough  that  they  were 


breaking  its  tub  apart.  In  fact,  the  palm 
was  simply  too  large  in  every  dimen- 
sion for  its  quarters. 

I expected  the  procedure  to  work 
because  there  was  evidence  of  roots  or 
bumps  along  the  trunk. 

The  palm  had  been  grown  from  the 
seed  of  a date  some  ten  years  earlier.  To 
stimulate  roots  I sawed  halfway  through 
the  8-in.  stem.  The  trunk  just  above  the 
cut  was  dusted  with  the  root  hormone 
powder  "Hormodine”  and  covered  with 
damp  sphagnum  moss.  That  was  cover- 
ed with  moist  polyethylene  film  to  re- 
tain moisture. 

This  series  of  photographs  illustrates 
just  how  broad  the  application  can  be 
regardless  of  age  and  size.  The  condi- 
tion of  an  old  stem  need  not  be  a 
barrier,  the  object  being  to  control 
vigor  by  reducing  the  size  of  the  speci- 
men. If  this  procedure  were  to  be  carried 
out  periodically,  many  valuable  horti- 
cultural and  botanical  specimens  could 
be  maintained  within  a confined  space 
indefinitely.  That  holds  true  for  a wide 
range  of  plants  other  than  palms, 
though  their  root  formation  might  take 
longer  than  the  palms'. 

Charles  0.  Cresson 

• 

CharlesO.  Cresson  wastrained  at  universities 
in  England  and  Vermont  as  well  as  at  Long- 
wood  Gardensand  at  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Societies  Garden  at  Wisley , England.  He  now 
designs  gardens  and  has  a n advisory  service 
in  the  Delaware  Valley  as  well  as  maintain- 
ing an  old  family  garden  with  a large  plant 
collection  in  Swarthmore. 


r ^ 

PLANT  FINDER 

Have  you  begun  to  think  that 
the  special  plant  you  are  looking 
for  is  extinct? 

We're  offering  a new  service,  by 
and  for  our  readers,  in  the  May  issue 
of  Green  Scene.  Readers  looking 
for  hard  to  find  plants  or  seeds  that 
they've  been  unable  to  uncover  in 
nurseries  or  elsewhere  can  send  us 
the  botanical  name  of  the  plant, 
which  we'll  print,  along  with  the 
stalker's  name  and  complete  address. 
Reader's  who  have  either  the  item 
or  information  about  it  can  contact 
the  person  directly. 

Send  your  listing  to  Jean  Byrne, 
Editor,  Green  Scene,  325  Walnut 
Street,  Philadelphia  19106. 

v ) 


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the  green  scene  • march  1980 


classified  ads  continued 


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thumb.  Grow  anything  green  year-round 
(except  perhaps  frogs).  QED,  INC.— offering 
expected  amenities  to  the  Philadelphia  Main 
Line  and  Chestnut  Hill.  688-1  514;  P.O.  Box 
1 61 , Villanova,  PA  1 9085. 


SNIPES  FARM  & NURSERY 
Founded  in  1 767 
Rt.  1,  Morrisville,  PA  19067 
215-295-1  138 

A complete  garden  center,  retail  and  land- 
scape nursery  and  florist  shop. 

Ideas  abound  in  3 acres  of  display  gardens 
containing  the  Delaware  Valley's  most  exten- 
sive sales  collection  of  conifers,  flowering 
trees  and  shrubs,  rhododendron  and  azaleas, 
hollies,  perennials  and  wildflowers. 

Our  greenhouses  hold  a wide  variety  of 
interior  greenery,  pottery,  baskets  and  gift 
items. 

Custom  landscape  design  and  installation  is 
of  the  highest  quality. 

Horticulturists  enjoy  coming  to  Snipes! 

Come  see  us  often! 


Building  Underground  Passive  Solar  House 
with  attached  greenhouse,  summer  1980. 
Need  a craftsman  builder  to  construct  the 
custom  designed  greenhouse.  Must  be  sincere 
and  dependable.  Design  incorporates  double 
glazing,  rock  bin  heat  storage,  hot  tub,  barn 
beams  and  other  energy  saving  concepts. 
Greenhouses  of  the  future  will  be  built  like 
this  one.  Joe  Glatz,  2100  McKinley  St.,  Phila. 
19149.  (H)  535-8261;  (W)  609-882-1414. 


A perfect  place  for  flowering  in  the  Chest- 
nut Hill /Mt . Airy  area.  English  Tudor  build- 
ing built  in  1 930's  has  2 attached  greenhouses, 
ample  parking,  slate  roof,  leaded  windows,  2 
refrigerated  rooms,  showroom,  workroom 
and  2nd  fl.  efficiency  apt.  Call  for  more 
details.  SI  15,000.00.  EMLEN  & CO.,  Hunt- 
ingdon Valley,  Pa.  947-6810. 


GOING  AWAY?  Call  an  accomplished  "Plant 
Nanny"  to  care  for  your  plants.  Watering, 
feeding,  re-potting  and  tender,  loving  care. 
Philadelphia  area  and  near  suburbs.  Call 
Jean  Byall,  382-6849. 


HOUSE  WITH  SECLUDED  GARDEN  FOR 
SALE  IN  WEST  CHESTER.  Beautifully  land- 
scaped Japanese  style  garden  including  many 
valuable  plants  enhances  this  split  level,  3- 
bedroom,  1%  bath  home  within  the  borough. 
House  and  garden  have  been  open  on  Chester 
County  Day.  $63,900.00.  For  information 
call  L.  D.  Dickinson  Realtor  (21  5)  358-3000. 


Dwarf  conifers,  rare  trees  and  shrubs,  hard 
to  find  species.  Catalog  60tf  stamps.  Dilatush 
Nursery,  780  U.S.  Highway  130,  Robbinsville, 
NJ  08791.  (609)  585-5387. 


Expert  at  revising  gardens  overgrown,  poor 
selection  of  original  plants,  out  of  scale,  mis- 
shapen, lacking  form,  line,  color,  anticipation 


of  seasonal  change . 

I can  help  remedy  your  handicapped  mess. 
We  construct  walks,  walls,  trellises.  Our  work 
not  limited  to  Phila.  locale. 

Call  now,  not  April  or  May  for  a quote.  Win- 
ter is  no  hindrance.  Estimate  cost  applies 
to  work.  Multitude  of  plants  on  hand  means 
no  limit  by  market  or  others'  labor  situation. 
Over  44  years  my  experience  now  at  my 
zestiest  form.  Welcome  unplanted  homes  and 
commercial  work— we're  not  grass  cutters. 
Periodic  maintenance  — hourly  rate.  Land- 
scapes welcome. 

Call  eves.  Plant  list  avail  (not  illus.). 

Eugene  Varady  — OR  6-2226  or  355-1859 
Acuba  Jap.  var.  gold,  nice  1 2"  $7.00 
Arborvitae,  pyra.  full  7 ft.  $39.00 
Azalea,  scrumptious  flowers, early,  late,  large 
Azalea  f I rd .,  new  strains,  dwarf,  some  Sat- 
suki's 4 — S20.00 

Boxwood,  Eng.  Dk.  Gn.  5 - 7"  10,  $32.50, 
16"  S35.00 

Birch,  Eur.  white  & gray  clump,  others  8' 
$32.50 

Camellia,  Jap.  Sasanqua  colors  2 ft.  (approx.) 
$9.95 

Clethra  frag.  slow,decid.  1 8"  up  white  $8.00 
Crepe  myrtle  mid -late  sum.  firs.,  colors  S7.00 
Conifers,  dwf.  20  plus  forms  4 -18"  $4 .00- 
SI  0.00 

Cherry,  Jap.  dbl.  pnk.,  few  2"  10',  S59.00, 
7',  $27.00 

Cherry  Weep  2 - 2'A  dbl.  bushy  $75.00  others 
Cedar,  blue  Atlas  4 ft.  $29.00  others 
Dogwood,  pink  414  ft.  $28.50  others  incl. 

white  8 - 1 0 ft.  $59.00 
Dogwood,  Jap.  Few  sizes  & pat.  var.  inquire 
Hemlock,  Can . 6%  ft.  $39.00  30"  light  SI  2.00 
Holly,  aquipernyi  to  4 ft.,  Eng.  to  4 ft. 
$32.00 

Holly,  Chin.  (Burford)  4 ft.  $1  9.00;  N.  Stev- 
ens 4 ft.  S35.00 

Holly,  Chin,  dwarf  a treat  24"  S1 1 .75,  others 
Holly  Chin,  rotunda  (mound)  15"  S1 1 .75; 

Lydia  Morris  small  plants 
Jap.  andromeda  15"  light  S6.50,  24"  full 
SI  2.95 

Magnolia,  saucer  4-8'  $1  7.50  - $40.00 
Magnolia,  Everg.  30"  $12.95,  5 ft.  slender 
$28.50 

Maple,  Jap.  red  4-5  ft.  $75.00,  bushy  24-30" 
$29.00 

Maple,  Jap.  red  cut  leaf  12"  $15.00  others 
Nandina,  almost  everg.  fall  fol.  red  1 5"  S6.50 
Pine,  J.  blk.,  314  ft.  bushy  $16,  24"  $12.00 
Pines,  Swiss  stone,  white,  mugho,  'Oculus- 
draconis' 

Plum,  red  leaf,  fast  grow  7-8'  $39.00 
Perennials  pots  or  clumps  ever  60  diff.  $1  .50 
- $2.50 

Perennials  many  seedlings,  divisions,  cuttings, 
hybrids 

Pyracantha,  red-orang.  berry  size  pots  $9.50 
Rhodo.  few  ea.  wide  assort,  dwf.  Ivd.,  giant 
f Ird .,  large  leaved,  lots  young,  bloom  sizes 
$4.75  up 

Roses  some  miniatures,  climbers,  teas,  flori. 
Shade  Trees:  pin  & red  oak,  sophora,  sweet 
gum,  w.  willow,  red  maple,  Norway, linden 
(pat.),  plane,  ash  8 ft.  (approx.)  $39.00 
Street  tree,  planted  soil,  mulch,  prune,  stake 
S110-S135  includes  J.  cherry,  pear,  red 
maple,  s.  gum,  oaks,  linden 
Annuals  we  install,  immense  selection  — treat 
yourse  If. 


Advertising  copy  should  be  submitted  8 weeks  before  issue  date:  November,  January,  March,  May,  July, September.  Minimum  rate  $10.  Charges 
based  on  $3.00  per  line.  Less  10%  discount  for  two  or  more  consecutive  issues,  using  same  copy.  All  copy  should  be  accompanied  by  check 
made  out  to  PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  and  sent  to  Mary  Elizabeth  Lee,  THE  GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106. 


THE 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 
MAY  • JUNE  • 1980  SI. 50 


4% 


™ Fa- 


Pink  Carioca. 
See  page  3. 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 
Volume  8,  Number  5 May /June  1980 

'I 

published  by 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA 

HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY 

325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  19106 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman  /Chairman 
Ernesta  D.  Ballard  /President 
Jean  Byrne  I Editor 

PUBLICATIONS  COMMITTEE 
Adele  G.  Greenfield  /Chair 
Rubye  Beckett 
C.  Stuart  Brown 
Barbara  Hesse  Emerson 
Herbert  W.  Goodall,  Jr. 

George  M.  Harding 
Bobette  Leidner 
Dorothy  S.  Young 


in  this  issue 

4 Come  On  and  Plant  the  Carioca  by  Julie  Morris 

6 Seven  Unusual  Perennials  for  the  Garden 
by  H.  Peter  Loewer 

10  Summering  the  Houseplants  under  the  Grape  Arbor 
at  Wyck  by  Ann  Newlin  Thompson 

13  Peppers  Pick  a Peck  of  Peppers  by  Jane  Pepper 

17  Gardening  Three  Stories  Up:  Some  Lessons  Learned 
by  J.  Blaine  Bonham 

20  Plant  Finders 

21  Getting  Started  with  Primroses  by  Dee  Peck 

26  The  Appeal  of  Eel  Grass  as  a Mulch 
by  Carolyn  Aquino  Berger 


Designer:  Julie  Baxendell 
Baxendell  Design  Associates 

Color  Separations:  Lincoln  Graphics,  Inc. 
Printer:  Judson  Printing 


Working  Toward  a Year-round  Vegetable  Garden: 
The  Winter  Garden  by  Thomas  Buchter 

Some  Useful  Landscape  Design  Books  for  Small 
Suburban  Properties  by  Da vid  L.  Tyler 


THE  GREEN  SCENE,  (USPS  955580)  Volume 
8,  No.  5,  published  bimonthly,  January,  March, 
May,  July,  September,  November,  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  a non-profit 
membership  organization  at  325  Wainut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106.  Subscription:  $7.50  — 
Single  Copy:  $1  .50.  Second  class  postage  paid 
at  Philadelphia,  PA  19104. 

POSTMASTER:  Send  Form  No.  3579  to  THE 
GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia, PA  19106. 

©Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  1980 


32  Hardy  Fuchsias  in  the  Delaware  Valley 

by  Charles  O.  Cresson 

34  The  Ugly  Roof  Drain  by  Glen  B.  Geer 

34  Classified  Advertising 

Front  Pink  carioca.  See  page  3. 

Cover:  photo  by  Julie  Morris 


Back  Primula  heladoxa  (candelabra).  See  page  21. 
Cover:  photo  by  Dee  Peck 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


come  on 
and  plant 
the  earfoca! 


by 


Julie  Morris 


Last  summer  I watched  a seedling 
as  it  tried  to  grow  in  a crack  in  the 
cement  sidewalk  next  to  a neighbor's 
house.  The  plant  took  hold  and  flour- 
ished. As  soon  as  I realized  that  it  was 
a snapdragon  I became  more  interested 
in  its  progress.  By  early  July  the  plant 
was  in  full  bloom  and  it  continued  to 
flower  for  some  weeks  until  a hot  dry 
spell  in  August  took  its  toll. 

I was  surprised  that  the  plant  was 
so  hardy.  I had  thought  that  snap- 
dragons needed  the  rich,  well  drained 
soils  preferred  by  most  bedding  plants. 


Like  all  snaps,  Carioca's  color 
ranges  widely  from  white,  pink 
and  yellow  through  bronze,  rose, 
and  red  shades. 


I decided  to  do  some  reading  about 
snapdragons  and  found  an  interesting 
note  in  Louise  Beebe  Wilder's  book, 
The  Garden  in  Color.  Wilder  writes 
about  the  many  varieties  of  garden 
snapdragons:  "These  are  all  forms  of 
Antirrhinum  majus,  the  flower  one  sees 
clinging  to  the  walls  of  old  ruins  in 
chalk  districts  of  England  with  Wall- 
flowers." 

The  mystery  of  the  plant's  success 
was  solved.  The  rubble  beneath  the 
sidewalk  provided  good  drainage  and 
the  limestone  in  the  foundation  of  the 
house  no  doubt  leached  into  what  soil 
there  was,  providing  the  conditions 
needed  for  good  growth.  The  early 
summer  was  very  rainy  so  moisture 
was  no  problem. 

There  was  a method  to  my  snap- 
dragon madness  in  the  summer  of  '79. 

I was  trying  several  different  kinds  of 
snapdragons  in  my  clients'  gardens  and 
wanted  to  know  about  these  versatile 
plants.  I also  had  grown  the  midsized 


Carioca  series  from  seed  for  the  first 
time. 

The  five  varieties  I used  in  the  gar- 
dens last  summer  ranged  from  the  tall 
growing  Rocket  series  to  the  low  grow- 
ing mounds  of  Floral  Carpet.  The 
Rocket  snaps  can  reach  36  in.  and  are 
favored  by  flower  arrangers  who  use 
the  tall  spikes  in  combination  with  the 
large  flowered  dahlias,  asters  and  other 
"cushiony"  flowers.  The  Rockets  con- 
tinue blooming  throughout  the  summer 
if  the  flowers  are  cut  before  they  fade. 
Cool  fall  weather  usually  brings  strong, 
new  growth  and  new  blooms  that  con- 
tinue until  Thanksgiving,  barring  a 
really  hard  frost.  Rocket  snaps  must 
be  staked  and  carefully  tied  and  retied, 
and  probably  tied  again  throughout 
the  season.  I use  the  thin  green  string, 
miles  of  it  before  the  summer  is  over.  I 
have  also  used  the  new  twiststem  type 
of  tie  that  comes  in  a can,  but  prefer 
the  string,  which  I can  keep  in  my 
pocket  and  pull  out  as  needed.  Without 
staking  and  tying,  the  Rockets  soon 
careen  out  of  shape  and  control.  Gen- 
erally, I plant  the  Rockets  in  the  cut- 
ting garden  and,  unless  I need  their 
height,  use  the  other  kinds  of  snap- 
dragons in  the  flower  borders. 

Carioca  is  the  variety  I found  thanks 
to  PHS  member  Susie  Plimpton.  It 
grows  to  20  in.  and  branches  from  the 
base.  The  plants  are  very  bushy  produc- 
ing as  many  as  15  spikes  at  a time,  and 
they  don't  need  to  be  staked.  Like  all 
snaps  Carioca's  color  ranges  widely  — 
from  white,  pink  and  yellow  through 
the  bronze,  rose  and  red  shades.  Apple- 
blossom  is  a lovely  pink-edged  white 
form.  Carioca  is  an  excellent  cut  flower 
and  less  formidable  than  the  Rocket 
snaps. 

mistaken  identity 

In  the  spring  of  1 978, 1 bought  some 

continued 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photo  by  Jacqueline  Denning  photo  courtesy  Temple  University,  Ambler  Campus 


«ohhs  on  and  plan!  I he  carioca! 


Perennial  border  at  Temple  University,  Ambler  Campus. 


Yellow  Carioca 


plants  labeled  Pixie  and  planted  them 
as  edging  plants.  The  tight  mounds  of 
clear  colored  flowers  bloomed  through 
November.  Some  of  the  plants  lived 
over  the  winter  and  bloomed  again  last 
summer.  I bought  more  Pixie  last  sum- 
mer and  soon  realized  that  the  dainty, 
open-faced  flowers  were  not  the  same 
Pixie  I had  planted  the  year  before.  A 
little  research  in  1 978  would  have  shown 
me  that  I had  Floral  Carpet,  not  Pixie. 
The  flowers  of  Floral  Carpet  are  the 
old-fashioned  "snapping"  snapdragons, 
not  the  newer  open-faced  flowers. 
Floral  Carpet  plants  are  sturdy  and 
grow  in  compact  mounds  that  reach 
about  8 in.  in  height.  The  8-in.  Pixie 
and  its  taller  growing  look  alike.  Little 
Darling,  are  base  branching  plants  that 
I like  to  tuck  here  and  there  in  the 
border.  Both  varieties  are  good  fillers 
in  flower  arrangements.  I used  them  in 
the  border  in  combination  with  cactus 
flowered  asters,  feverfew,  ageratum, 
verbena,  petunias,  scabiosa,  Peter  Pan 
zinnias  and  dwarf  dahlias. 

Snapdragons  prefer  a light,  sandy 
soil.  If  the  pH  of  the  soil  is  below  6.0, 

I add  ground  limestone;  for  example, 
if  the  pH  reading  is  5.8  add  two  pounds 
of  lime  to  every  100  square  feet  (1  cup 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photo  by  Jacqueline  Denning 


Pink  and  white 


of  limestone  = 1 pound).  For  best 
results  send  a soil  sample  to  Pennsyl- 
vania State  University  for  testing.  Your 
cooperative  extension  agent  has  the 
soil  test  bags.  Apply  lime  at  planting 
time  and  again  in  the  fall.  I fertilize 
the  soil  in  May  with  5-1 0-1  0 or  5-10-5 


"Snapdragons  are  grand  wall 
plants,  both  in  the  sun  and  shade. 

I think  the  tender  colourings, 
white,  yellow,  and  pinkish,  are 
the  most  suitable  for  the  cool  ex- 
posure, and  the  fine  dark  crimson 
reds  and  mixed  colourings  for 
the  warm  one." 

—Gertrude  Jekyll 
Wall  and  Water  Gardening,  New  York,  1 901 . 
(page  33) 


(2-4  Ibs./lOO  sq.  ft.)  depending  on  soil 
test  results.  I make  a second  application 
about  eight  weeks  after  planting. 

I have  never  seen  Carioca  in  a gar- 
den center  so  I start  them  from  seed 
sown  from  mid-February  to  mid-March. 
I use  milled  sphagnum  moss  as  the 
starting  medium.  Snapdragon  seeds  are 
very  tiny,  ants  often  carry  them  off  in 


the  garden,  so  you  have  to  be  careful 
not  to  lose  them.  I transplant  the  seed- 
lings into  peat  pots  when  they  are 
about  1 in. -VA  in.  high.  When  the 
plants  are  about  4 in.  high,  start  pinch- 
ing the  growing  tips  to  produce  bushy 
plants.  After  hardening  off,  the  plants 
can  be  set  in  the  garden  by  mid-May. 

Aphids  can  be  a problem  for  snap- 
dragons, although  they  seem  to  prefer 
other  flowers  in  my  garden.  Malathion 
will  control  aphids.  Snapdragons  are 
subject  to  various  rust  and  other  fungus 
problems,  especially  if  there  isn't  good 
air  circulation  in  the  garden  or  if  there 
is  a prolonged  wet  spell.  Zineb  is  a 
good  control. 

As  Louise  Beebe  Wilder  noted  there 
are  many  varieties  of  snapdragonscom- 
ing  in  all  shapes,  sizes  and  a wide  range 
of  colors.  The  new  butterfly  types 
have  open  ruffled  flowers,  the  tiny 
Tom  Thumb  and  Magic  Carpet  are  suit- 
able for  wall  gardens  and  the  stately 
Rockets  are  the  backbone  of  the  cut- 
ting garden.  The  Carioca  series  is  per- 
haps the  most  versatile  snap  I have 
grown.  The  seed  is  available  in  separate 
colors.  The  plants  are  lovely  additions 
to  the  herbaceous  border  and  the  flow- 
ers brighten  up  any  summer  bouquet. 


Sources 

Carioca  series  — Stokes  Seeds,  737  Main  St., 
Box  548,  Buffalo,  NY  14240 
Other  varieties: 

Park  Seed,  Greenwood,  SC  29647 
Burpee  Seeds,  1 720  Burpee  Bldg.,  Warmin- 
ster, PA  18974 

Thompson  and  Morgan,  Dept.  1 6,  Box  1 00, 
Farmingdale,  NJ  07727 

Additional  Reading 

Colour  Schemes  for  the  Flower  Garden, 
Gertrude  Jekyll,  Chas.  Scribner's  Sons, 
New  York,  1919. 

The  Garden  in  Color,  Louise  Beebe  Wilder, 
The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1937. 

The  Complete  Book  of  Growing  Plants 
From  Seed,  Elda  Haring,  Hawthorn  Books, 
Inc.,  New  York,  1967. 

Haring  suggests  the  following  mixture  for 
starting  seeds:  Equal  parts  of  milled  sphag- 
num, vermiculite  and  perlite.  The  mixture 
should  be  moist  (use  warm  water  for  easier 
mixing)  before  use.  Once  the  second  set  of 
leaves  has  appeared  on  the  seed  lings,  fertilize 
with  a liquid  fertilizer  mixed  to  half  the 
recommended  strength. 

• 

Julie  Morris  is  a garden  consultant  in  New- 
port, Rhode  Island.  She  is  currently  working 
with  the  Newport  College  to  develop  a four- 
year  horticultural  program.  Julie  gardened 
in  the  Philadelphia  area  for  many  years.  She 
first  learned  how  well  snapdragons  grow 
here  under  the  tutelage  of  Viola  Anders 
when  she  studied  with  her  at  Temple  Univer- 
sity, Ambler  Campus. 


5 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Seven  Unusual  Perennials 
for  the  Garden 

(^)  by  H.  Peter  Loewer 


Artemesia  lactwort  on  the  right. 


6 


On  the  afternoon  that  I begin  to 
write  this  article,  the  winter  wind 
pushes  along  at  about  30  mph  and  the 
thermometer  sits  at  10  F.  The  land- 
scape, without  snow,  can  best  be 
described  as  barren.  Jolly  old  Mr.  Sun 
shines  on  us,  and  my  heart  longs  for  a 
day  in  the  garden:  feet  in  dirt-clogged 
shoes,  hands  stained  with  earth,  the 
sweet  smells  of  spring,  and  the  body 
surrounded  with  a multitude  of  tools 
waiting  to  be  used,  maybe  even  lost. 
Along  with  these  green  thoughts  of  a 
garden,  the  mind  pines  for  a new  face 
among  the  familiar  flowers— the  old 
war  horses  of  the  border:  there  must 
be  a greater  choice  of  plants  than 
petunias,  peonies,  and  phlox. 

Well  there  are  other  choices,  though 
many  nurseries  and  garden  centers  still 
work  within  narrow  horizons  and  try 
not  to  admit  to  their  existence.  I ven- 
ture to  suggest  here  the  following  seven 
plants  (all  readily  available)  to  those 
gardeners  who  are  unfamiliar  with 


them  and  who  wish  to  add  something 
new  to  their  flower  border  or  cutting 
garden. 

The  first  is  the  white  or  sweet  mug- 
wort  (Artemisia  lactiflora),  a perennial 
herb  that  grows  to  a height  of  4 or  5 ft. 
and  looks  more  like  a bush  than  a flow- 
ering plant.  This  particular  quality 
makes  it  an  excellent  choice  for  the 
back  of  a border  and,  in  addition,  the 
stems  are  strong  enough  to  withstand 
high  winds  without  breaking.  The  chief 
assets  are  the  creamy-white  plumes  of 
flowers  that  appear  in  late  July  and 
last  well  into  August.  Excellent  as  cut 
flowers,  they  emit  a sweet  perfume  and 
are  very  popular  with  bees.  Japanese 
beetles  also  find  the  blooms  to  their 
liking  and  the  first  sign  of  their  emer- 
gence in  our  garden  is  when  the 
glistening-green  bombshells  are  found 
clinging  to  the  mugwort,  where  they 
are  easily  tipped  into  a can  of  kerosene. 

The  unusual  common  name  stems 
from  a near  relative  of  white  mugwort, 


the  common  mugwort  (A.  vulgaris) 
which  was  used  in  the  preparation  of 
beer  way  back  when.  The  "mug"  is 
obvious;  the  "wort"  refers  to  an 
infusion  of  sweetened  malt  that  fer- 
ments to  form  the  beer  and  to  which 
the  leaves  of  this  plant  were  added, 
presumedly  for  flavoring. 

Sweet  mugwort  comes  into  its  own 
when  grown  in  heavy  or  clay  soil  so 
don't  make  any  special  soil  mixes  or 
embark  on  lengthy  feats  of  preparation 
if  you  plant  it  in  an  average  garden. 
Just  give  it  full  sun,  a reasonable 
amount  of  water,  and  hack  it  into 
smaller  sections  in  early  spring  if  it 
becomes  too  large  and  ungainly.  The 
dead  stems  may  be  left  for  the  winter 
garden  and  cut  to  the  ground  when  the 
snows  melt. 

Many  good  and  human  things  are 
connected  with  being  a gardener.  I 
don't  think  any  dictators  have  ever  been 
worthwhile  men-of-the-soil  (although 
some  have  gone  heavily  into  orchids); 
poor  politiciansfind  it  impossible  to  suc- 
ceed with  plants;and  while  yourfailures 
simply  wither  away,  your  successes 
shine  for  all  the  world  to  marvel  at. 

My  second  choice  falls  into  the 
"marvel  category":  it's  called  the  slip- 
per flower  or  Calceolaria.  Most  people 
are  familiar  with  the  greenhouse  types 
that  are  grown  for  gift-giving  but  few 
have  seen  the  alpine  species  since  most 
garden  books  never  mention  them  and 
when  they  are  noted,  they're  usually 
said  to  be  chancy  with  the  average 
gardener. 

Two  years  ago,  I sent  for  a plant  of 
Calceolaria  x 'John  Innes'  and  placed 
it  where  it  gets  afternoon  sun,  in  moist 
but  well-drained  soil.  I was  rewarded 
with  six  flowers  about  the  middle  of 
July. 

In  the  fall,  I gave  it  a pine-branch 
mulch  and  hoped  for  the  best.  Imagine 
my  surprise  when  last  year  it  sported 
over  50  blooms  and  put  on  a dazzling 
display  for  almost  a full  month. 

The  large  golden  slippers  are  minutely 
speckled  with  red  and  stand  about  6 in. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


high  on  slender  stems.  They  survive 
heavy  rains  without  breaking  off. 
When  visitors  wander  about  the  garden, 
they  always  remark:  “How  can  any- 
thing so  beautiful  be  hardy  in  a climate 
like  ours?"  And  our  climate  is  a bad 
Zone  5 (Cochecton  Center,  N.Y.)  with 
temperatures  that  have  gone  to  20’ 
below  0°F  on  a few  occasions.  The 
plant  itself  disappears  by  late  summer 
so  mark  its  position  with  care. 

a garden  worthy 

One  of  the  fine  garden  worthies  is 
the  obedience  plant  (Physostegia  virgini- 
ana).  The  flowers  do  not  begin  to 
bloom  until  September  (in  our  Catskill 
Mountains)  and  have  a tenacious  knack 
of  surviving  frost.  The  floral  spikes  will 
grow  up  to  3 ft.  tall  in  any  reasonable 
soil  and  are  called  obedient  because 
the  individual  blossoms  can  be  pushed 
about  the  axis  of  the  stem  and  will 
remain  in  the  last  position  until  you 
give  them  another  tap  with  your  finger. 

Physostegia  has  to  be  watched  in  the 
garden  as  it  can  easily  spread  by  creep- 
ing roots  and  invade  areas  where  it  isn't 
wanted.  But  this  is  a fine  plant  for  that 
damp  location  where  other  plants  have 
not  succeeded  and  any  extras  are  easily 
dug  up  for  friends. 

There  is  a white  form  ('Alba')  not 
quite  as  "weedy."  It  is  considered  by 
many  to  be  more  demure  than  the  rose- 
magenta  color  of  the  typical  plant,  but 
it  is  not  as  tough  and  soil  conditions 
must  be  better,  including  superior 
drainage. 

A pink-flowered  variety  with  varie- 
gated green  and  white  foliage  is  found 
at  some  nurseries,  but  the  old  standby 
remains  my  favorite. 

Seeded  plants  will  give  flowers  rang- 
ing from  the  hottest  magenta  to  the 
palest  of  pink,  so  choose  your  favorite 
then  destroy  the  remainder  and  propa- 
gate future  plants  by  division. 

Physostegia  makes  an  excellent  cut 
flower  and,  I am  told,  is  appreciated 
by  flower  arrangers  since  all  the  blos- 
soms on  any  stem  can  be  manipulated 

the  green  scene  • may  1980 


to  follow  any  plane  in  the  arrangement. 
It  is  also  a native  American  wild  flower 
often  found  in  wet  woods  and  thickets. 

Most  people  do  not  think  of  grasses 
when  they  consider  garden  plants,  and 
they  are  missing  a bet  when  they  don't. 
There  are  dozens,  of  course,  of  orna- 
mental grasses  that  would  fit  beautifully 
into  any  garden  plan  but  even  among 
those  I have  favorites  and  the  Eulalia 
grasses  (Miscanthus  sinensis)  are  para- 
mount among  them. 

These  are  a genus  of  plants  repre- 
sented by  two  species  and  many  varie- 
ties that  are  extensively  cultivated  in 


Many  good  and  human  things  are 
connected  with  being  a gardener. 

I don't  think  any  dictators  have 
ever  been  worthwhile  men-of-the- 
soil  (although  some  have  gone 
heavily  into  orchids);  poor  poli- 
ticians find  it  impossible  to  suc- 
ceed with  plants;  and  while  your 
failures  simply  wither  away,  your 
successes  shine  for  all  the  world 
to  marvel  at. 


gardens  throughout  the  world.  Eulalias 
grow  very  tall  and  produce  magnificent 
plumes  of  silvery  spikelets  as  the  days 
shorten  into  fall,  and  its  flowers  are 
wonders  for  winter  bouquets.  About 
the  only  problem  with  these  grasses  is 
placement.  Within  a few  years  of 
growth,  they  can  easily  overwhelm  the 
landscape.  Plant  one  just  outside  the 
kitchen  window  and  by  year  three, 
you'll  have  a room  so  dark  that  lights 
are  needed  at  high  noon. 

Of  all  the  types  though,  zebra  grass 
(M.  sinensis  'ZebrinusV  tops  my  list. 
It's  a delight  to  any  gardener  who  suf- 
fers through  a northern  winter.  One  is 
hard  put  to  believe  that  any  grass  with 
such  a tropical  look  could  succeed 
where  temperatures  ever  fall  below 
freezing,  even  for  an  instant.  The  indi- 
vidual leaves  are  not  striped  but  dashed 
with  horizontal  bands  of  a light, 
golden-brown,  and  massive  clumps  are 


formed  over  the  years  with  a true, 
fountainlike  effect.  The  flowers  are 
merely  an  added  bonus. 

While  full  sun  is  required  for  maxi- 
mum growth,  zebra  grass  will  persist 
even  in  damp  soil,  making  it  an  excel- 
lent choice  for  the  poolside.  If  any 
leaves  sprout  without  the  colored  bands 
(and  be  patient  at  the  year's  beginning, 
as  the  variations  of  color  are  slow  to 
appear)  be  sure  to  cut  them  off  so 
only  the  variegated  forms  have  a chance 
to  grow. 

Divide  mature  clumps  in  early 
spring,  and  best  use  an  ax  or  hatchet  as 
these  plants  are  tough.  And,  once 
again,  be  warned:  the  first  few  years 
produce  small  clumps,  but  they  soon 
start  to  grow  and  spread. 

I always  leave  the  stalks  to  winter 
over,  as  the  golden-brown  leaves  of 
autumn  relieve  the  harshness  of  the 
January  landscape.  The  plants  can 
easily  be  cut  down  to  earth  before 
growth  begins  in  spring. 

beard-tongues 

Beard-tongues  (Penstemon  sppj  are 
one  of  the  largest  genus  of  wildflowers 
in  the  world,  representing  more  than 
230  species  and  all  belonging  to  the 
great  Scrophulariaceae  or  the  Figwort 
family.  Its  close  garden  relatives  are 
the  snapdragons  and  the  floxgloves. 

My  introduction  to  these  flowers 
came  with  seed  provided  by  Bebe  Miles 
when  I needed  specimens  for  illustra- 
tions to  her  grand  book,  Wiidf lower 
Perennials  for  Your  Garden.  The  seeds 
sprouted  with  ease  and  produced  flow- 
ering plants  of  Penstemon  hirsutus  for 
the  first  garden  season  (the  plant  stem 
is  covered  with  fine,  white  hairs,  hence 
the  botanical  name).  They  prefer  dry, 
rocky  soil  and  if  cut  back  after  the  first 
period  of  blooming  will  go  on  to  pro- 
duce a second.  The  flowers  consist  of 
clusters  of  white  and  lavender  blooms 
about  an  inch  long  on  stems  up  to  1 8 
in.  in  height,  with  dozens  of  buds  on 
each  stem;  thus  a clump  produces  quite 
a floral  display. 

continued 


Seven  Unusual  Perennials 
for  the  Garden  continued 


Calceolaria  'John  Innes' 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


The  basal  rosette  of  leaves  is  ever- 
green (here  in  the  mountains,  only 
with  snow  cover)  and  they  have  a pur- 
plish cast  as  the  days  and  nights  grow 
colder. 

While  I give  a source  for  a miniature 
variety  of  P.  hirsutus  at  the  end  of  this 
article,  I've  yet  to  find  a source  for  the 
standard  plant.  That  is,  however,  no 
problem,  as  they  grow  so  well  from 
seed.  So  why  not  take  this  as  a chal- 
lenge to  broadening  horizons  and  seek 
out  the  American  Penstemon  Society 
(P.O.  Box  450,  Briarcliff  Manor,  N.Y. 
10510)  and  their  seed  exchange  facili- 
ties? These  plants  do  seed  around,  so 
remove  the  flower  heads  before  seed  is 
set. 

Sixth  on  my  list  is  a charming  and 
beautiful  flower,  from  a family  of 
charming  and  beautiful  flowers:  the 
Japanese  columbine  (Aquilegia  flabel- 
lata  pumila).  Often  called  A.  akitensis 
in  many  garden  catalogs,  a columbine 
by  any  other  name  is  still  a winning 
addition  to  your  garden. 

The  plant  grows  6 to  8 in.  high  and 
likes  a moist,  well-drained  soil  and, 
because  of  drainage  requirements,  is 
often  listed  as  a rock  garden  plant.  Even 
after  blooming,  it  should  enjoy  an 
honored  spot  in  your  border,  as  the 
fresh  green  leaves  are  attractive  all 
summer  long.  Leaf  miner  is  the  only 
problem,  as  with  all  columbines.  The 
larvae  tunnel  their  way  through  the 
leaves,  making  the  grey,  thread-like 
tracings  that  detract  from  the  plant's 
beauty.  Remove  the  infected  leaves  or, 
if  you  must,  spray. 

Which  leads  us  to  the  blossoms  of 
shades  of  lavender-blue  with  a creamy- 
white  cup.  These  make  one  sad  that 
the  English  language  has  so  few  words 
with  the  punch  of  beautiful.  Many 
flowers  will  appear  on  one  stem,  open- 
ing about  mid-May. 

Plant  seven  is  always  a shock  on 
first  viewing.  ''Good  heavens,"  visitors 
will  say,  "What  is  that?"  That  is  the 
sea  holly  ( Eryngium  maritimum) , one 
of  the  fascinating  family  of  over  200 


perennial  herbs  that  are  in  essence, 
beautiful  thistles. 

The  long-lasting  flower  heads  make 
welcome  additions  to  winter  bouquets 
as  the  common  garden  varieties  pro- 
duce abundant  prickly  flower  heads 
that  glow  with  a metallic-blue  sheen. 

Other  special  eryngiums:  E.  planum 
'Violettum'  blooms  in  July,  preferring 
hotsun  and  dry,  well-drained  soil.  They 
reach  a height  of  between  2!^  to  3 ft. 

E.  alpinum  has  dark  blue-green  basal 
leaves  with  flower  heads  of  steel-blue. 
E.  giganteum  grows  up  to  4 ft.  high 
producing  silver-blue  flower  heads  but 


is  monocarpic  so  grow  it  as  a biennial. 
All  the  plants  are  easy  to  grow  from 
seed. 

Of  the  seven  plants  I've  described, 
the  sea  holly  will  probably  elicit  the 
most  surprise:  a plant  with  attractive 
foliage  that  is  surmounted  with  myriad 
heads  of  steely-blue  thistles  usually  is 
not  found  in  the  average  garden;  the 
calceolaria  will,  I think,  be  the  most 
wanted  although  the  Japanese  colum- 
bine might  well  take  that  position;  the 
mugwort  and  physostegia  have  a wild 


quality  that  more  finicky  gardeners 
might  eschew;  zebra  grass  obviously 
requires  a larger  than  average  plot  of 
land;  and  the  penstemon  can  become  a 
passion  as  witnessed  by  the  Society 
that  bears  their  name. 

I am  one  gardener,  though,  who 
hopes  that  others  will  try  branching 
out  by  growing  a few  of  the  plants 
described  thus  multiplying  beauty  into 
other  neighborhoods  and  climes.  We 
all  might  as  well,  you  know;  the 
infamous  other  side  continues  to 
multiply  concrete,  plastic,  and  other 
questionable  aides  of  civlization  too 
numerous  to  mention;  every  gardener 
should  have  his  day. 

Sources: 

Artemisia  lactiflora.  Garden  Place,  6780 
Heisley  Road,  Menor,  Ohio  44060;  Wayside 
Gardens,  Hodges,  South  Carolina  29695 
Calceolaria  x 'John  Innes'.  Lamb  Nurseries, 

E.  1 01  Sha  rp  Avenue,  Spokane,  Washington 
99202 

Physostegia  virginiana.  White  Flower  Farm, 
Litchfield,  Connecticut  06759 
Miscanthus  sinensis  'Zebrinus.'  Garden  Place 
Aquilegia  flabellata  pumila.  Miniature  Gar- 
dens, Box  757,  Stony  Plain,  Alberta,  Can- 
ada TOE  2GO 

Eryngium  planum  'Violettum.'  Garden  Place* 

*The  Royal  Horticultural  Society  lists  five 
or  six  eryngium  species  as  seeds  in  their 
1980  Seed  Exchange.  The  serious  and  ad- 
venturous gardener  should  join  RHS  to 
take  advantage  of  their  fine  magazine  and 
seed  exchange.  Peter  Loewer 

Ed.  note:  Adventurousand  serious  gardeners 
should  also  consult  our  plant  finders  column, 
on  page  20,  a new  feature  beginning  in  this 
issue  of  Green  Scene. 

• 

Peter  Loewer  is  a botanical  artist  and  scien- 
tific illustrator  who  became  enamoured  with 
gardening  and  writes  and  illustrates  his  own 
books.  He  lives  near  the  Upper  Delaware 
River  and  also  edits  a small  upstate  New  York 
newspaper. 

Among  his  books  are:  Growing  and  Decor- 
ating with  Grasses,  Walker  & Co.,  N.Y.  1 977. 
Illustrated  only:  Wildflower  Perennials  for 
Your  Garden,  Bebe  Miles,  Hawthorne 
Books,  N.Y.  1976. 

These  and  two  others  may  be  found  in  the 
PHS  Library. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Summering  the  Houseplants 
Under  the  Grape  Arbor  at  Wyck 

(^)  by  Ann  Newlin  Thompson 


When  I first  really  observed  the  old 
grape  arbor  at  Wyck  in  Germantown 
with  a critical  eye,  what  I saw  made 
me  glad  that  no  photograph  remains  to 
show  the  slanting  eroded  place  where 
three  or  four  leftover  Christmas  poin- 
settias,  Easter  azaleas  and  a broken 
sanseveria  sadly  leaned.  The  great  sweet 
gum  tree  soared  up  over  the  house  shad- 
ing the  grapevine.  The  lower  limbs  of 
the  tree  were  festooned  with  large 
grape  leaves  making  a dark  cave  of  the 
brick-paved  area  surrounding  the  old 
pump  outside  the  kitchen  end  of  the 
house. 

The  next  summer  a two  or  three  inch 
grading  of  pebbles  and  a better  edging 
of  Germantown  field  stone  made  a 
firmer  place  where  I wanted  to  put 
pots  of  houseplants  in  a level  position 
(important  for  watering  as  well  as 
appearance).  I didn't  then  know  much 
about  pruning  grapevines,  but  just  for 
the  sake  of  neatness  it  was  pruned  and 
more  light  came  through.  The  hardy 
ferns  that  grow  like  weeds  at  Wyck 
came  up  along  the  edging  of  gray  stones. 
All  the  grasses  and  other  weeds  were 
kept  out  of  the  crevices  between  the 
beautiful  old  heavy  worn  bricks.  I 
learned  how  to  get  the  weeds  com- 
pletely out  by  inserting  a screwdriver 
and  wiggling  the  brick  until  the  roots 
loosened.  Cutting  or  scraping  with  a 
pointed  trowel  or  knife  just  seems  to 
strengthen  the  weed.  Weeding  the 
bricks  under  the  arbor  is  a slow  and 
cool  job  for  a hot  day. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  the 
sweet  gum  had  been  damaged  by  light- 
ning and  was  rotting  in  the  center.  It 
stood  dangerously  close  to  the  house, 
which  had  recently  been  reroofed  and 
repaired.  Several  weeks  after  the  tree 
had  been  painstakingly  lowered,  limb 
by  limb  on  account  of  the  arbor  under- 
neath, the  freak  March  storm  in  1976, 


almost  a hurricane,  came  through  Ger- 
mantown from  the  west  felling  many 
trees  and  doing  great  damage.  We  lost 
a large  paulownia  only  yards  away. 
Grateful  for  our  foresight  we  turned 
our  attention  to  relaying  the  bricks, 
which  the  roots  of  the  old  tree  had 
pushed  up  into  long  mountains  and 
valleys.  Finally  the  ground  was  leveled 
and  the  lawn  grew  up  to  the  neat  curve 
of  bricks  that  sloped  to  join  the  runoff 
from  the  old  pump.  The  pump  doesn't 
work,  so  impatiensdid  well  in  the  stone 


Day  by  day  we  have  to  remove 
the  twigs  the  mocking  birds  bring 
at  nest  building  time, and  at  night 
by  the  light  of  a flashlight  we 
remove  slugs. 


splash  basin.  But  there  is  water  way 
down  in  the  well  beneath  and  I often 
wonder  how  we  could  get  at  it  for  the 
plants  during  a drought. 

That  summer  the  old  concord  grape- 
vine began  a new  life.  The  spill  from 
hosing  houseplants  every  day  and  water- 
ing with  fertilizer  every  week  or  so 
nourished  its  roots  which  no  longer  had 
to  compete  with  those  of  the  sweet  gum. 
But,  more  important,  sunlight,  unhin- 
dered by  sweet  gum  leaves,  now  ripens 
a large  crop  of  grapes  each  September. 

I was  so  pleased  with  the  outdoor 
summering  place  that  I brought  all  my 
own  houseplants  from  home.  Tropical 
maidenhair  ferns  thrived  and  made 
you  feel  cool  as  they  moved  in  the 
slightest  breeze.  Rich  silvery-spotted 
begonias  with  their  tassels  of  pink 
flowers  varied  with  the  dark  red  velvet 
of  coleus  leaves  and  the  sharp  spikes  of 
pineapple  set  at  the  southern  edge  to- 
ward the  sun. 

When  watering  30  to  40  plants  in 


the  hot  humid  days  of  summer,  careful 
watering  practices  are  necessary.  A 
force-breaker  on  a long  wand  at  the 
end  of  a flexible  hose  is  a must.  Putting 
pebbles  around  the  tops  of  the  pots 
helps  to  keep  the  soil  from  washing  out 
as  you  direct  the  water  into  the  pot 
and  not  on  the  leaves.  Mildew  forms 
quickly,  especially  on  begonias.  The 
staff  shares  in  the  watering  when  I am 
not  there,  and  delights  in  the  cool  dap- 
pled shade  as  a place  to  bring  table  and 
chairs  out  for  meals.  An  old  crock  is 
always  filled  to  the  brim  with  fresh 
water  for  the  dog;  it  is  set  among  the 
ferns  at  the  edge,  and  birds  tilt  from  its 
rim  to  drink,  but  bathe  elsewhere. 
Wyck's  guides  sit  here  on  "open”  after- 
noons while  waiting  for  visitors.  The 
entrance  gates  from  both  Germantown 
Ave.  and  Walnut  Lane  can  easily  be  seen, 
and  the  telephone  is  within  earshot. 

We  now  prune  only  in  late  February 
according  to  grape-growing  instructions. 
As  the  vine  layered  itself  some  years 
ago  there  are  two  or  three  main  trunks 
up  the  east  side  of  the  arbor,  which  is 
latticed.  A third  new  vine  has  been 
planted  and  trained  up  so  that  good 
shade  can  be  had  wherever  we  set  the 
table.  Sometimes  I climb  up  the  step- 
ladder  and  cut  some  of  the  largest 
leaves  away  so  that  patches  of  light 
can  come  through  on  my  fuchsia  and 
begonia  baskets.  The  southern  edge  in 
full  sunlight  is  reserved  for  lemon  and 
orange  trees  and  the  small  geraniums 
and  succulents.  Big  pots  of  geraniums 
go  elsewhere. 

We  don't  spray  the  grapevine, 
though  we  do  spray  the  houseplants 
for  aphids,  mites  and  mildew.  People 
often  ask  me  why  the  Japanese  beetles 
haven't  reduced  the  vine  leaves  to  lace. 

I only  say  I don't  know;  perhaps  it  is 
a variety  they  don't  like  or  perhaps 
there  are  so  many  luscious  roses  at 

continued 
the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photos  by  Roman  Stutzman 


Some  hardy  fern,  small  succulents,  and  two  pineapple  plants  in  front. 


Baskets  of  tripogandra  hang  from  the  arbor. 


Corner  cluster  includes  begonias,  ferns,  an  orange  tree,  and  geraniums. 


11 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Summering  the  Houseplants  continued 


Begonia  sutherlandii 

Wyck  they  don't  bother  with  the  tough 
grape  leaves.  Day  by  day  we  have  to 
remove  the  twigs  the  mocking  birds 
bring  at  nest  building  time,  and  at 
night  by  the  light  of  a flashlight  we 
remove  slugs.  Before  color  shows  on 
the  grapes  we  spread  bird-netting  over 
the  top  and  tuck  it  in  around  the  edges 
If  birds  fly  in  underneath  to  reach  the 
hanging  grapes  they  usually  try  to 
escape  by  flying  up  towards  the  light 
through  a hole  in  the  foliage,  and 
become  entangled.  Their  screeches  are 
a warning  to  all  other  birds  and  suc- 
cessfully discourages  them. 

The  houseplants  summering  under 
the  grapes  thrive  in  the  gentle  rainfall 


and  cool  patches  of  shade,  the  sunlight 
passing  over  their  airy  10-ft.  high  leafy 
covering.  The  hose  is  nearby  and  the 
crock  of  water  a necessity  in  which  to 
dunk  a forgotten  drooping  plant  for  a 
few  bubbling  minutes.  The  grapes 
reward  us  all  year  long  as  they  are 
made  into  many  pots  of  jelly  and  jars 
of  homemade  grapejuice. 

References  for  Maintenance 
of  Grape  Vines 

Modern  Fruit  Science:  Orchard  and  Small 
Fruit  Culture  by  Norman  Childers,  Rutgers 
University  Horticultural  Publications,  N.J. 
1975 

All  About  Growing  Fruits  and  Berries  edited 
for  Midwest  and  Northeast,  Ortho  Books, 
Chevron  Chemical  Co.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 


In  1973  Mary  Troth  Haines  left 
Wyck,  6026  Germantown  Ave.,  to 
the  care  of  a private  foundation 
wishing  it  to  be  preserved  for  pos- 
terity and  enjoyed  by  the  public.  It 
had  been  inhabited  since  1690  by 
nine  generations  of  the  Haines  fam- 
ily. Jane  B.  Haines  (1869-1937), 
eighth  generation,  founded  the 
Pennsylvania  School  of  Horticulture 
for  Women.  Because  John  Swartley, 
Barbara  Emerson  and  Leonie  Bell 
were  connected  to  PSHW,  Mrs. 
Haines  asked  them  to  come  to  Wyck 
to  advise  about  the  preservation  of 
the  garden,  which  she  wanted  to 
leave  in  good  condition.  Their  sug- 
gestion that  the  Germantown  Gar- 
den Club  might  help  unearthed  the 
fact  that  one  of  its  members,  Ann 
Newlin  Thompson  (Nan),  was  a 
tenth  generation  member  of  the 
Haines  family.  Her  volunteer  work 
for  six  years  has  been  greatly  aided 
by  the  varied  and  valuable  skills  of 
the  above  mentioned  three  persons, 
as  well  as  various  students  and 
graduates  of  the  School.  For  two 
years  money  was  granted  to  Wyck 
for  a gardener's  salary  from  the 
Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society's 
150th  Anniversary  Fund  for  the 
Advancement  of  Horticulture. 

Nan  lives  near  Wyck  and  has 
known  and  loved  its  garden  since 
she  was  a child.  She  feels  deeply  the 
influence  of  her  great-great  grand- 
parents, Jane  Bowne  Haines  and 
Rueben  of  the  sixth  generation. 
Rueben  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
PHS  in  1827.  Notebooks  and  letters 
of  this  horticultural  family  are  being 
cataloged  now.  They  bring  to  light 
many  interesting  facts  and  agricul- 
tural experiments  of  the  early  19th 
century  (i.e.,  one  notebook  labeled 
"Mistakes”  is  devoted  entirely  to 
listing  failing  seed  plantings  in  Reu- 
ben's attempts  to  find  hardy  crops 
for  the  northeast  USA). 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


by  Jane  Pepper 


My  love  of  peppers  (the  vegetable, 
that  is)  began  a couple  of  years  ago  at 
the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society's 
Harvest  Show.  Ann  and  John  Swan 
brought  in  a basket  full  of  peppers— 
some  were  fat  and  green,  others  long 
and  tapered  and  orange,  and  several 
were  small  and  red  and  obviously  very 
hot.  The  colors  were  wonderful,  the 
fruits  unblemished,  and  it  was  hardly 
surprising  that  the  Swans  won  several 
blue  ribbons  in  the  1978  Harvest  Show 
pepper  classes. 

The  Swans'  beautiful  display  of 
peppers  particularly  appealed  to  me. 
Pepper  fruits  are  so  decorative,  but  I 
had  given  up  growing  the  vegetable 
because  I could  never  figure  out  how 
to  use  even  a small  portion  of  the  har- 
vest. Each  year  we  grew  a few  plants 
and  once  in  a while  I tossed  a few  on 
top  of  a salad  or  into  a stew.  Gradually 
my  partner  in  the  Pepper  vegetable  plot 
became  intolerant  of  this  pretty  vege- 
table with  restricted  culinary  use.  It 
limited,  he  said,  his  space  for  growing 
essentials  such  as  potatoes,  carrots  and 
lima  beans,  which  could  be  stored  or 
frozen  for  the  winter. 

If  the  Swans  could  produce  that 
many  perfect  peppers  for  the  Harvest 
Show,  it  seemed  reasonable  to  assume 
that  they  must  have  found  some  way 
to  use  the  balance  of  their  crop.  Before 
the  show  closed  I had  made  a date  to 
visit  their  garden  near  West  Chester. 

I arrived  early  one  morning  in  Octo- 
ber and  saw  a huge  basket  of  peppers 
in  the  garage.  Inside  the  house,  the  gar- 
deners were  just  finishing  a breakfast 
of  sauteed  peppers  and  scrambled  eggs. 
In  the  storeroom  stood  rows  of  jars  of 
red  pepper  jelly,  bottles  of  sherry  pep- 
pers, pepper  pickles,  and  in  the  freezer 
dozens  of  little  cartons  of  frozen  pep- 
pers. The  Swans  were  obviously  pepper 
crazy  and  before  I left,  they  had  agreed 


to  make  notes  and  take  photographs 
throughout  the  1979  growing  season 
so  we  could  assemble  an  article  on 
peppers  for  Green  Scene. 

selecting  pepper  varieties 

The  first  big  pepper  decision  in  the 
Swan  household  comes  early  in  the 
year  when  Ann  and  John  order  the 
seeds.  As  you  can  see  from  the  photo- 
graph, their  garden  is  small,  but  in 
1979  they  packed  in  56  pepper  plants, 
13  varieties,  along  with  a wide  assort- 
ment of  other  vegetables.  About  half 
of  these  varieties  Ann  considers  "basic.'' 
The  others  are  luxuries  or  new  varieties 
with  which  they  are  experimenting. 

Among  the  many  pepper  varieties 
on  the  market,  Ann  recommends  the 
following: 

1.  'Anaheim'  TMR23  is  what  Ann 
calls  a "warm"  (as  opposed  to  "hot") 
pepper.  The  plants  are  tall  (5  ft.),  and 
seem  to  prefer  cooler  weather  so  the 
fruits  are  usually  prolific  in  September. 


With  this  pepper  Ann  makes  a cheese 
spread  (see  recipe)  or  uses  it  for  mild 
Mexican  dishes. 

2.  'Canape'  is  their  favorite  bell 
pepper  because  the  plant  is  stocky  and 
prolific  and  the  fruits  keep  well  in  wet 
summers. 

3.  'Cubanelle'  is  an  early-ripening, 
prolific  sweet  Italian-type  pepper  that 
Ann  uses  raw  in  salads,  or  sautees  for 
breakfast. 

4.  'Early  Pimento'  is  "just  a joy" 
because  although  it  is  not  prolific,  the 
fruit  makes  superior  pimentos  which 
are  exceptionally  tasty  and  colorful 
for  winter  salads. 

5.  'Jalapeno'  also  grows  well  but  is 
not  a prolific  producer.  The  Swans  use 
this  variety  for  jellies  and  hot  foods. 

6.  'Hungarian  Wax'  is  an  easy-to- 
grow,  prolific,  dependable,  hot  pepper. 

7.  'Pepperoncini'  produces  long  thin 
fruits.  The  Swans  grew  this  one  for  the 
first  time  in  1979  and  plan  to  grow 
more  next  year  because  the  fruits  were 

continued 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photos  by  John  Swan 


14 


Swans'  vegetable  garden.  Peppers  are  center  left. 


From  left  to  right:  hot  pepper  jelly,  sweet  pepper  relish,  bread  and  butter  pickles,  sherry 
pepper. 


Anaheim  TMR23 


very  sweet  and  wonderful  for  frying. 

8.  'Serrano  Chile'  produces  small  hot 
peppers  for  use  in  sherry  pepper. 

9.  'Szegedi'  produces  large  red  fruits, 
which  Ann  treats  like  pimentos. 

Each  year  the  Swans  find  it  harder 
to  select  their  pepper  varieties  because, 
having  tried  so  many,  they  now  have  a 
long  list  of  favorites.  They  advise  new 
pepper  growers  to  start  with  those 
they  are  most  likely  to  use  in  the 
kitchen  and  branch  out  gradually  each 
year. 

growing  the  peppers 

In  the  second  week  of  March  when 
the  rest  of  us  are  working  at  the  Phila- 
delphia Flower  and  Garden  Show,  John 
Swan  is  down  in  his  basement  starting 
his  pepper  plants.  He  uses  Jiffy-7  pots 
and  plants  three  seeds  per  pot.  The  pots 
are  put  in  the  furnace  room,  the  warm- 
est section  of  the  basement  (70°F), 
under  full  spectrum  fluorescent  lights, 
which  burn  14  hours  per  day.  The  pots 
are  covered  with  polyethylene  until 
the  seeds  germinate.  Germination 
usually  takes  12-16  days.  When  the 
seedlings  are  2 in.  high  John  thins 
them  to  leave  the  one  best  seedling  per 
pot.  When  they  are  3 in. -4  in.  tall 
(around  the  third  week  of  April)  he 
transplants  the  seedlings  to  3 in.  plastic 
pots  and  waters  them  with  a dilute  (% 
recommended  strength)  solution  of  all- 
purpose fertilizer. 

The  Swans  aim  to  get  the  peppers 
out  into  the  garden  by  mid-May.  Dur- 
ing the  first  two  weeks  of  May  they 
harden  the  plants  off  by  putting  them 
outside  during  the  day.  Hardening  off 
gradually  acclimates  the  tender  plants 
to  the  harsher  outdoor  conditions  with 
wide  temperature  fluctuations,  strong 
sun  and  winds.  Since  the  Swans  grow 


about  1 00  pepper  seedlings,  this  indoor/ 
outdoor  shuffle  is  quite  a chore,  but 
Ann  considers  it  essential.  Plants  that 
have  not  been  hardened  off  sometimes 
never  recover  from  the  shock  of  being 
transplanted  into  the  garden.  By  the 
time  they  are  put  out,  the  plants  often 
have  10-12flower  buds,  which  produce 
an  early  crop. 

The  Swans'  garden  is  built  on  a ser- 
pentine, rock  rubble  base  and  over  the 
years  John  has  improved  the  soil  by 
adding  topsoil  and  liberal  quantities  of 
aged  mushroom  soil.  The  garden  is 
divided  into  six  terraces  and  each  year 
the  Swans  plant  their  peppers  on  differ- 


ent terraces  to  rotate  the  crops.  They 
also  try  to  separate  the  hot  from  the 
sweet  because  peppers  cross  pollinate 
readily  to  produce  weird  fruits  with  all 
the  wrong  flavor  characteristics.  The 
taller  varieties  such  as  'Anaheim'  are 
placed  so  that  they  will  not  shade  low- 
growing  varieties. 

Maximum  pepper  production  is  the 
goal  in  the  Swans’  small  garden  so  they 
only  leave  30  in.  between  rows  and  24 
in.  between  plants  within  a row.  At 
the  bottom  of  each  planting  hole  John 
mixes  half  a cup  of  5-10-10  fertilizer 
and  around  each  plant  he  places  a cut- 
worm collar.  (John's  favorite  cutworm 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Everything! 


collars  are  made  from  cottage  cheese 
cartons.  For  our  garden  I use  green 
flexible  plastic  pots  such  as  the  ones 
perennial  plants  are  sold  in.  From  both 
you  remove  the  bottom  of  the  con- 
tainer to  create  a 2 in. -3  in.  deep  collar.) 

The  Swans  have  learned  that  heavily- 
laden  plants  often  split  or  lose  whole 
branches  in  the  winds  of  summer  thun- 
derstorms. Sometimes  plants  simply 
topple  over  in  the  rain-soaked  soil.  To 
avoid  these  potential  disasters.  John 
encloses  each  pepper  plant  in  an  18  in. 
diameter  (5  ft.  circumference)  wire 
cage  made  from  6 in.  mesh  concrete 
reinforcing  wire.  As  with  tomato  cages, 
it's  important  to  use  6 in.  mesh  wire  so 
you  can  reach  in  to  pick  the  fruit.  The 
reinforcing  wire  comes  in  5 ft.  high 
rolls.  From  this,  John  usually  makes 
two  cages  214  ft.  high,  but  the  tall  pep- 
pers such  as  'Anaheim'  require  5 ft.  high 
cages  for  good  support.  When  the  soil 
is  thoroughly  warm,  the  whole  garden 
is  covered  with  a mulch  of  salt  hay, 
which  not  only  keeps  the  soil  moist  in 
dry  periods  and  reduces  weeds,  but 
also  prevents  the  peppers  from  becom- 
ing mud-splashed  in  heavy  storms. 

Over  the  past  20  years  the  Swans 
have  had  few  insect  problems  with 
peppers.  In  1979,  however,  the  leaves 
began  to  curl  and  drop  and  they  dis- 
covered they  had  a plague  of  aphids. 
Malathion  seemed  the  best  cure,  and 
the  Swans  sprayed  the  plants  in  the 
evening  after  they  had  picked  a batch 
of  fruit.  Seven  days  after  spraying,  the 
fruits  were  again  suitable  for  picking. 

One  common  complaint  among 
pepper  growers  is  poor  fruit  set.  Un- 
fortunately that  is  due  to  the  rather 
specific  temperatures  peppers  require 
to  set  fruit.  Fruit  set  is  poor  when  night 
temperatures  drop  below  60°F  or  rise 


above  70°F.  This  often  means  a rush 
of  fruit  in  early  summer  and  little  fruit 
when  temperatures  are  high.  If  you 
keep  the  soil  evenly  moist,  however, 
you  will  get  better  fruit  set  in  the  hot 
days  of  mid-summer.  Water  the  plants 
during  dry  spells,  add  a generous  cover 
of  mulch  (salt  hay,  grass  clippings  or 
shredded  leaves  for  example),  and 
space  plants  closely  to  ensure  a dense 
canopy  of  leaves  over  the  soil. 

By  mid-July  the  Swans  usually  have 
their  first  crop  of  peppers.  Most  pep- 
pers are  green  in  their  early  stages  and 
turn  red  as  they  mature.  Some,  such  as 
'Sweet  Banana,'  start  life  a yellowish 
green  and  turn  orange  before  they  fin- 
ally turn  red.  To  make  sure  she  has 
plenty  of  red  peppers  for  canning  and 
freezing,  Ann  Swan  picks  only  a few 
of  the  early  peppers  in  the  green  stage 
and  leaves  the  rest  to  mature  and  turn 
red.  Since  the  fruits  keep  well  on  the 
plant,  Ann  rarely  stores  them  in  the 
refrigerator.  Instead  she  uses  them  as 
she  needs  them,  fresh  from  the  plant. 
At  the  end  of  the  season  she  cuts  up 
all  the  remaining  peppers  and  freezes 
them  in  plastic  containers.  There  is, 
she  says,  no  need  to  blanch  them  before 
freezing.  If  you  have  too  many  small 
hot  peppers,  Ann  suggests  you  dry 
them  in  plastic  onion  bags  and  use  for 
kitchen  decoration  or  thread  them  on 
a needle  and  cord  for  Christmas 
wreaths. 

cooking  with  peppers 

In  addition  to  my  being  unadventur- 
ous in  seeking  ways  to  use  our  pepper 
harvest,  I had  long  harbored  a miscon- 
ception about  cooking  peppers.  The 
misconception  arose  shortly  after  I 
married  a Pepper  and  moved  to  Phila- 
delphia from  Edinburgh,  Scotland. 
Good  friends  of  my  husband's  wel- 
comed me  to  my  adopted  country 
with  a festive  dinner  complete  with 
peppers.  The  peppers  were  delicious, 
but  my  friends  told  me  of  the  hours 
they  had  spent  charring  them  under  a 
gas  broiler  to  remove  the  skins.  Since 


our  stove  was  electric,  I assumed  we 
could  not  char  peppers.  Actually  I was 
rather  relieved  because  the  charring 
seemed  a lot  more  complicated  than 
peeling  that  Scottish  staple— potatoes. 

Last  year  I finally  learned  from 
Ann  Swan  how  to  remove  pepper  skins 
(under  an  electric  broiler).  As  she 
pointed  out,  many  peppers  are,  how- 
ever, usually  served  with  their  skins. 
The  thick  skins  of  varieties  such  as 
'Anaheim,'  'Pimento'  and  'Szegedi' 
should  be  removed. 

removing  pepper  skins 

Wait  until  the  'Pimento'  and  'Szeg- 
edi' fruits  are  red.  'Anaheim'  is  green 
but  mature.  Place  the  peppers  on  a 
broiling  tray  and  set  the  tray  4 in. -5  in. 
from  a preheated  broiling  element. 
Keep  the  door  of  the  oven  open.  Leave 
them  under  the  element  for  about  1 5 
minutes  until  the  exposed  side  is  black 
and  charred,  turn  them  with  a pair  of 
tongs  and  char  well  on  the  other  sides. 
Ann  says  you  may  have  a "few  minor 
explosions"  in  the  oven,  but  the  smell 
in  the  kitchen  will  be  wonderfully 
sweet. 

When  the  peppers  are  really  steam- 
ing, pop  them  into  a brown  paper  bag 
with  a pair  of  tongs,  close  the  bag  for 
20  minutes,  then  empty  the  fruits  into 
a bowl  of  cold  water.  When  cooled, 
remove  the  skins,  all  seeds  and  inside 
veins.  Lay  the  fruits  on  a cake  rack  to 
drain,  and  later  place  them  in  the 
freezer  on  a Teflon  tray.  Eight  hours 
later  you  will  be  able  to  loosen  them 
quickly  and  pack  them  in  a plastic  bag 
for  compact  storage.  Pepper  juices  and 
fumes  can  irritate  your  skin  and  eyes, 
so  Ann  suggests  you  turn  the  fan  on  in 
the  kitchen  and  wearthin  plastic  gloves 
throughout  the  operation. 

Peppers'  potted  peppers 

While  the  Swans  grew  13  pepper 
varieties  in  1979  the  Peppers  grew  4 
varieties,  some  in  the  garden,  others  in 
pots.  'Sweet  Banana'  was  our  most 
successful  variety  in  both  situations, 

continued 


15 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


providing  ample  supplies  of  sweet  yel- 
low, orange  and  red  fruits.  'Big  Bertha' 
was  an  unprepossessing  new  variety  of 
green  bell  pepper  that  was  obviously 
unhappy  in  a pot.  'Dutch  Treat,'  a 
new  variety,  which  I chose  for  pot  cul- 
ture because  of  its  small  size,  was  a 
disappointment.  Each  plant  produced 
four  or  five  small  peppers  on  terminal 
flowers  and  then  sulked  for  the  rest  of 
the  summer  in  both  garden  and  pot. 

The  results  from  my  'Anaheim' 
plants  were  amusing.  I only  had  room 
for  one  plant  which  I put  on  our 
wooden  deck  in  a deep  plastic  pot  (such 
as  you  would  get  at  a nursery  when 
you  buy  a rhododendron).  The  seedling 
grew  slowly  into  an  ugly  plant  and  nar- 
rowly missed  being  relegated  to  the 
compost  pile  when  I noticed  it  had 


started  to  set  fruit.  By  the  time  of  the 
PHS  Harvest  Show  in  late  September  it 
bore  a selection  of  small,  bumpy  pep- 
pers. Being  a novice  at  this  game  I 
assumed  this  was  the  way  'Anaheims' 
were  supposed  to  look.  When  I com- 
pared my  2-in. -long  knobby  fruits  with 
the  smooth  8-in.  models  produced  by 
the  Swans  I realized  'Anaheim'  was 
not  well  suited  to  pot  culture.  Ann 
and  John  Swan  (who  won  all  the  pep- 
per classes  in  the  1979  Harvest  Show) 
were  nice  enough  not  to  comment  on 
my  odd  'Anaheim'  plant  during  the 
Show.  Later  I learned  that  this  variety 
likes  lots  of  root  space. 

One  year  the  Swans  grew  'Serrano 
Chili'  in  a pot  and  enjoyed  its  fruit 
throughout  the  summer.  In  fall  they 
pruned  the  plant  heavily  and  moved  it 
inside  for  the  winter.  The  following 


spring  they  moved  it  back  outdoors 
and  got  a very  early  crop. 

Peppers  offer  endless  possibilities  to 
the  gardener.  You  can  line  them  up  in 
rows  in  the  vegetable  garden,  you  can 
grow  them  in  pots  or  you  can  nestle 
them  among  the  annuals  and  perennials 
in  your  flower  garden.  Their  foliage  is 
attractive  all  through  the  summer 
season  and  the  fruits  are  very  decora- 
tive. When  it  comes  to  harvest  time,  it's 
a real  joy  to  deal  with  a crop  that 
indulges  you  with  such  a fantastic  array 
of  colors,  shapes  and  sizes— not  to 
mention  the  variety  of  uses  in  the 
kitchen.  On  account  of  my  choice  of  a 
husband,  I am  naturally  partial  to 
Peppers.  After  you've  tried  Ann's 
recipes  and  studied  John's  photographs 
you  may  also  become  a fan. 


Sources: 

Burpee  Seed  Company,  Warminster,  PA 
19881 

Joseph  Harris  Seed  Co.,  HP-1,  Morton 
Farm,  Rochester,  NY  14624 
George  W.  Park  Seed  Co.,  Inc.,  Green- 
wood, SC  29647 

Stokes  Seeds,  Inc.,  737  Main  Street,  Buf- 
falo, NY  14240. 

If  you  want  to  go  wild  over  peppers,  write 
to  Horticultural  Enterprises,  P.O.  Box 
34052,  Dallas,  TX  75234.  Their  catalog 
lists  31  varieties  with  line  drawings  to 
illustrate  the  range  of  shapes  and  sizes 
within  the  pepper  tribe. 

• 

Jane  Pepper  is  a public  information  coord  i- 
nator  for  PHS.  She  writes  a weekly  column 
for  the  News  of  Delaware  County  and  the 
Main  Line  Times.  Pepper  received  an  M.S. 
in  Plant  Sciences  from  the  University  of 
Delaware  under  the  sponsorship  of  the  Long- 
wood  Program. 


ANN  SWAN'S  RECIPES 

Cheese  Spread  (good  way  to  use  up 
icebox  leftovers) 

Cut  'A  lb.  each  Monterey  Jack 
and  cheddar  cheese  as  well  as  2 oz. 
of  roquefort  into  1 in.  squares  and 
chop  in  food  processor  using  steel 
blade.  Add  enough  medium  dry 
sherry  to  make  a heavy  spread.  Cut 
2-3  fresh  or  frozen  'Anaheim'  pep- 
pers (skins,  seedsand  veins  removed) 
into  1 in.  pieces  and  add  to  cheese. 
Blend  until  smooth  and  refrigerate 
in  closed  crockery  pot  for  at  least 
24  hours.  For  variety  add  a dash  of 
sherry  pepper.* 

Hot  Pepper  Jelly 

I highly  recommend  using  a food 
processor  (steel  blade)  — you  get 
more,  finer  pepper  pieces  and  it  is 
so  quick. 

1%  cups  pepper  pulp  with  juice 

6V2  cups  white  sugar 

1 'A  cups  cider  vinegar 

6 oz.  liquid  fruit  pectin 
(2  pouches) 

drop  of  red  food  coloring  if 
desired 

Pepper  Pulp  Juice 

3 large  bell  peppers,  6 'Jalapeno,' 
3 'Hungarian  Wax'  or  as  many  re- 
quired to  make  1 'A  cups  of  pulp.  (Do 
not  use  'Cubanelle';  they  are  too 
juicy.) 

Wash  and  dry  peppers,  seed  and 
cut  in  1 in.  square  pieces.  Toss  in 
food  processor  using  steel  blade.  On/ 
Off  motion  until  chopped.  Measure. 
If  you  have  more  than  1 'A  cups,  save 
and  make  another  batch  later. 

Put  pepper  pulp  in  kettle  with 
sugar  and  vinegar.  Bring  the  mixture 
to  a rolling  boil  and  add  all  of  the 
pectin.  Return  mixture  to  a rolling 
boil  and  cook,  stirring  constantly, 
for  one  minute.  Skim  off  foam  and 
add  food  coloring.  Pour  jelly  into 
hot  sterilized  glasses  and  cover 
according  to  directions.  Cool  jars 
out  of  draft  before  moving.  Yield  is 
six  or  seven  half  pints. 

Serve  with  cold  meats  or  with 
crackers  and  cream  cheese.  Also 
great  with  roast  lamb,  or  curry.  A 
new  use— a friend  makes  an  omelet 
and  puts  a dollop  in  the  middle  and 
rolls  it  up. 

*lf  you  are  interested  in  recipesfor  sherry 
pepper,  pimentos,  pepper  relish,  rame- 
kin peppers  and  chili  casserole  ('Ana- 
heim' peppers)  send  40  cents  and  a self- 
addressed  stamped  envelope  to  Mary 
Elizabeth  Lee,  Green  Scene,  PHS,  325 
Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  PA  19106 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


-Threes. 

«e*son®<„  V 

v ^ 

^ (^)  by  J.  Blaine  Bonham 

& 69 


y by  J.  Blaine  Bonham 


ty  •• 


From  my  greenhouse,  I stare  out  at 
the  second  story  roof  deck  on  top  of 
my  center  city  rowhouse.  It  glistens 
with  the  February  rain.  I see  the  wet, 
grey-brown  cedar  flooring  and  the 
weathered  pine  planter  boxes  with 
remnants  of  last  year's  plants.  Rusty 
metal  cans  with  bare  stakes  hold 
nothing  right  now.  Dark  grey  cinder 
blocks  that  served  as  containers,  risers 
and  plant  stands  border  a rather 
unkempt  pile  of  empty  clay  and  plastic 
pots.  Two  orange  milk  crates  are  the 
only  spot  of  color.  Against  a back- 
ground of  brick  and  stucco  buildings  is 
the  view  of  my  garden  in  midwinter. 
What  a contrast  to  the  kaleidoscopic 
colors  and  lush  green  foliage  that  I saw 
there  last  summer. 

It  had  been  awhile  since  my  last 
outdoor  gardening  venture.  I had  lived 
in  my  yardless  house  for  almost  two 
years  before  the  roof  deck  was  com- 
pleted. It  was  my  first  full-sun  garden 
(after  several  seasons  of  a full-shaded 
backyard  garden  in  Chestnut  Hill). 
And  it  was  also  my  first  major  effort 
at  outdoor  container  gardening.  This 
garden  presented  me  with  several  new 
challenges.  The  results  were  very  satis- 
fying; between  September  and  the 
placing  of  the  first  planter  box  in  May, 
I learned  a lot  about  gardening  three 
stories  up. 

I chose  to  develop  an  annual  garden 
—flowers,  foliage  plants,  and  vegetables 
—for  several  reasons.  I craved  lots  of 
color.  I had  not  myself  recovered  from 
being  transplanted  from  a verdant  en- 
vironment to  a soot-stained  stucco  and 
brick  one.  An  annual  garden  seemed 
easy  to  plan  and  develop.  I was  work- 
ing on  the  construction  of  my  green- 
house, too,  and  the  purchase  of  annuals 
and  gathering  suitable  containers  was 
not  terribly  time-consuming.  It  also 
was  a relatively  inexpensive  first  gar- 
den, costing  about  $150  for  plants, 
soil,  and  some  containers.  (I  used  as 


many  "recycled”  containers  as  possible; 
while  they  lowered  the  cost  of  the  gar- 
den, they  introduced  other  problems 
later.)  I was  reluctant  to  invest  in  more 
expensive  hardy  material  and  elaborate 
containers  until  I had  experimented  a 
bit  with  this  virgin  site. 

The  deck  is  22  ft.  by  1 4 ft.  and  since 
my  house  sits  on  the  corner  of  the 
block,  the  eastern  and  southern  sides 
of  the  deck  are  open.  Along  the  west 
side  is  the  stuccoed  third  story  wall  of 
my  neighbor's  house,  which  I at  first 
assumed  to  be  a liability  to  the  garden 
because  its  shadow  begins  to  creep 
across  the  deck  by  mid-afternoon.  The 
garden  room  borders  the  north  side  of 
the  deck. 

I can't  give  you  a detailed  plan  of 
the  garden  since  I rearranged  it  a few 
times  over  a five-month  period.  (I  soon 
learned  to  appreciate  that  unique 
aspect  of  a container  garden:  you  can 
move  plants  around  to  accommodate 


them  and  yourself.)  Basically,  ten  pine 
window  boxes  lined  the  exposed  per- 
imeters, some  tiered  two  high.  Left- 
over cinder  blocks  from  the  garden 
room  construction  served  as  containers 
themselves  or  supports  for  potted 
plants  along  the  edges  also.  On  the 
southern  half  of  the  deck,  the  center 
was  a display  area  for  individually 
potted  specimens  supported  by  crates, 
cinder  blocks,  and  inverted  pots  of 
different  heights.  In  midsummer,  I 
placed  a 10-ft.  planter  box  along  the 
base  of  the  party  wall. 

the  plants 

Using  color,  texture  and  growth 
habit  as  criteria,  I created  several  mini- 
gardens. First,  I disassembled  five  flats 
of  annuals  that  included  three  varieties 
each  of  geraniums  and  petunias,  two 
each  of  alyssum,  lobelia  and  begonias, 
four  varieties  of  coleus,  a vinca,  impa- 
tiens,  nicotiana,  torenia,  ageratum  and 
lantana,  all  common  annuals.  I planted 
lemon  thyme,  purple  basil,  curly  pars- 
ley, allium,  artemisia  and  a few  scented 
geraniums.  I also  potted  up  individual 
vegetable  plants— tomatoes,  peppers, 
eggplants,  brussels  sprouts.  Bush  squash, 
cucumbers,  radishes  and  lettuce  rapidly 
filled  the  1 0-ft.  planter  box  after  a mid- 
summer sowing.  Two  clumps  of  sem- 
pervivum  highlighted  a desert  planting. 
Oh,  yes,  and  eight  fuchsia  comprised  a 
hanging  basket  along  the  wall  with 
wandering  jew  and  Swedish  ivy.  In 
addition,  I acquired  a number  of  cacti 
and  succulent  specimens,  a group  of 
house  plants  I am  fond  of  and  for 
which  I have  never  had  sufficient  sun- 
light. I staged  them  in  the  center 
grouping. 

It  was,  truthfully,  a boatload  of 
plant  material.  In  my  zeal  to  create  an 
instant  garden,  I forgot  that  annual 
plants  grow  rapidly  and  get  fat,  and  I 
disobeyed  a gardener's  axiom,  "Thou 
shalt  not  plant  too  closely."  In  terra 

continued 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Gardening  Three  Stories  Up:  continued 


firma,  plants  have  the  option  to  spread 
out  somewhere;  in  a planter  box  they 
do  not.  And  while  lobelia,  petunias, 
and  alyssum  deserve  to  spill  over  the 
sides  of  their  containers  to  show  off 
their  habit  and  color,  overcrowding 
stifles  flower  production  because  they 
shade  each  other.  Hence,  the  larger 
containers  of  multiple  plantings 
required  not  only  the  regular  mid- 
season cutback  of  annuals  to  stimulate 
a strong  second-half  performance,  but 
during  two  major  operations,  I had  to 
pull  out  almost  half  of  the  plants  to 
give  the  rest  a break.  I learned  the  hard 
way  the  definition  of  the  term  "weed." 

When  I finally  corrected  the  over- 


I learned  quickly,  however,  that 
dinner  guests,  primed  with  a cup 
of  coffee,  can  be  persuaded  to 
work  for  their  meal  by  ''just 
doing  a bed  or  two." 


crowding,  how  those  plants  rewarded 
me  with  continuous  masses  of  color. 
Of  course,  the  sheer  numbers  of  annuals 
means  a lot  more  maintenance.  Dead- 
heading became  as  regular  a routine 
for  me  as  shaving.  The  punishment  for 
neglecting  this  task  was  a halt  in  flower 
production.  I learned  quickly,  however, 
that  dinner  guests,  primed  with  a cup 
of  coffee,  can  be  persuaded  to  work 
for  their  meal  by  "just  doing  a bed  or 
two." 

The  annual  garden  was  high  mainte- 
nance gardening,  wonderful  therapy 
when  I needed  it,  and  a drag  when  I 
was  too  busy,  tired,  or  hot.  This  year's 
garden  will  have  other  kinds  of  plant 
material  in  it.  The  experience,  how- 
ever, was  valuable,  since  I learned 
much  about  the  dynamics  of  container 
roof  gardening. 

microclimates 

I discovered  three  microclimates  in 
my  small  garden.  In  the  diagram  below, 
microclimate  #1  was  exposed  to  con- 
stant winds  and  the  greatest  amount  of 
afternoon  sun,  thus  completely  drying 
out  the  containers  there  daily.  The  ger- 
aniums thrived,  naturally.  So  did  the 
herbs.  And,  surprisingly,  ordinary  pink 


A friend  of  the  author  admires  the  annuals  located  at  edge  of  the  deck. 


waxed  begonia  with  green  foliage 
bronzed  to  a beautiful  red  in  full  sun, 
stayed  compact,  flowered  profusely 
and  didn't  seem  to  mind  their  com- 
manding position  at  the  corner  of  the 
deck  at  all.  None  of  the  other  plants 
were  crazy  about  the  wind,  though. 
The  coleus  drooped  daily,  lobelia 
stopped  flowering,  and  the  ageratum 
surrendered. 

Microclimate  #2  received  lots  of 
sun;  however,  the  corner  of  the  west 
wall  reduced  some  of  the  wind  currents, 
and  the  plants  in  the  center  of  the 
deck  tended  not  to  dry  out  as  quickly. 

The  wind  had  an  interesting  effect 
on  the  vegetable  plants.  Situated  at 
Point  A to  receive  maximum  sun, 
tomato,  eggplant,  pepper,  and  brussels 
sprout  plants  stayed  smaller  than  the 
same  or  similar  varieties  container- 
grown  in  a more  protected  area, 
though  the  size  of  the  fruits  was  un- 


affected. Possibly  the  daily  drying  out 
they  received  slowed  their  rate  of 
growth.  Fruit  production  on  the  toma- 
toes was  very  low;  the  blossoms  often 
fell  off  before  pollination.  The  numbers 
of  pepper  and  eggplant  fruits  were  high, 
however,  evidently  attesting  to  the  use- 
fulness of  the  wind  as  a pollinator. 

Microclimate  #3  held  some  surprises 
for  me.  My  neighbor's  wall  begins  to 
shade  the  deck  after  two  o'clock,  and  I 
thought  that  it  would  provide  a "short 
day"  for  plants  in  that  area.  And  it  did 
protect  coleus,  lettuce,  torenia,  and 
wandering  jew  from  afternoon  sun. 
However,  that  wall  caught  the  first 
rays  of  light  around  8:00  in  the  morn- 
ing and  the  light  tan  stucco  wall  re- 
flected light  onto  the  deck.  Saladin 
hybrid  cucumbers,  listed  as  55  days  to 
picking,  climbed  up  a nylon  netting 
against  the  wall  and  produced  edible- 
sized fruit  in  45  days.  St.  Pat  scallop 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Photo  taken  from  peak  of  the  greenhouse.  The  center  display  section  features  eggplants, 
peppers,  tomatoes  and  various  specimen  plants. 


squash  bore  two  inch  fruit  in  45  days 
(they  usually  require  50  days  to  fruit). 
The  brussels  sprout  plants  along  the 
wall  grew  larger  than  their  counterpart 
in  the  middle  of  the  deck.  Moreover, 
these  plants  could  wait  two  days  be- 
tween watering. 

The  successful  combinations  of  con- 
tainers and  soil  mixes  were,  of  course, 
interrelated  to  these  microclimates. 

The  moisture-retentive  qualities  of 
various  materials  used  as  containers  are 
accentuated  on  a hot,  dry,  windy  roof. 
As  expected,  plants  in  the  non-porous 
hard  and  soft  plastic  containers  dried 


out  less  quickly,  and  I compromised 
my  aesthetic  distaste  for  these  con- 
tainers to  alleviate  the  drying-out 
problem.  The  pine  boxes  ranked 
second  in  retaining  moisture.  Wet 
wood  swells  and  helpsto  retard  evapor- 
ation;also  these  containers  held  a larger 
volume  of  soil,  and  that  contributes  to 
slower  water  loss.  Unglazed  clay  con- 
tainers afforded  little  water  retention, 
while  the  highly  porous  cinder  blocks 
turned  with  the  holes  up  and  filled 
with  soil  and  plants  fared  very  poorly, 
drying  out  in  just  a few  hours.  If  I use 
them  again,  I will  glaze  them  with  poly- 

continued 


IE 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Street 


Gardening  Three  Stories  Up 


In  the  afternoon  the  party  wall  shades  the 
planter  box  at  its  base.  Lettuce,  cucumbers 
and  St.  Pat's  scallop  squash . In  front  brussels 
sprouts  and  coleus. 

urethane  to  help  keep  in  moisture. 

Some  city  dwellers  are  trash-pickers 
by  nature  (those  people  you  see  rum- 
maging in  someone's  discards  aren't  all 
vagrants).  I hauled  home  two  metal 


the  plant  finder. 

If  you  have  been  unsuccessfully 
searching  through  the  usual  sources 
for  a particular  plant  or  specific 
seeds,  let  us  know.  We  will  publish 
a "want  list"  in  each  issue.  Send 
your  name  and  address  (include  zip), 
the  botanical  name  of  the  plant  and 
if  you  wish,  the  common  name.  Send 
to  Plant  Finder,  Green  Scene,  PHS, 

325  Walnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  PA 
19106.  People  who  have  the  plants 
or  seeds  you  want  will  contact  you 
to  make  arrangements  about  selling 
or  giving  them  away,  mailing,  etc. 

WANTED 

Seeds  for  the  vine  Ampelopsis 
brevipedunculata  (porcelain  ampe- 
lopsis) 

Contact:  Mrs.  Bryce  Douglas,  Box 
235,  Kimberton,  PA  19442. 

V 

Seeds  or  plants:  Restio  subver- 
ticillatus  (rope  grass);  Tropaeo- 


continued 

vegetable  oil  cans  from  a health  food 
store  trash  pile  to  use  as  containers  for 
vegetables.  In  effect  what  I did  was  to 
place  the  plants  in  ten  gallon  sauce  pans 
that  thoroughly  cooked  the  roots  and 
soil  on  hot  sunny  days,  while  on  rainy 
days,  the  containers  got  a bit  soupy 
despite  the  drainage  holes.  They  rusted 
to  a nice  color  anyway.  And  I may  still 
be  able  to  use  them  in  a shadier  part  of 
the  garden,  with  a lighter  soil  mix  and 
additional  drainage  holes. 

Generally,  I used  too  much  sand  in 
my  soil  mix.  The  basic  recipe  was  % 
potting  or  topsoil,  % peat  moss,  % per- 
lite (sometimes  I used  vermiculite), 
and  % sand.  I did  vary  the  combination 
to  suit  the  requirements  of  certain 
plants.  But  almost  everything  dried 
out  too  fast,  except  the  herbs  and  ger- 
aniums. At  least  in  the  sunniest,  windi- 
est locations,  I will  use  a more  humusy 
soil  mix  this  year.  When  I installed  the 
10  ft.  planter  box  along  the  west  wall 
in  midsummer,  I tried  to  correct  this 
situation  by  using  almost  no  sand.  I 
admit  to  the  folly  of  my  conclusion, 
since  the  box  is  shaded  most  of  the 
afternoon.  It  took  several  days  to  dry 
out,  and  I finally  incorporated  a little 
sand  into  the  soil  after  a few  sowings 
of  seeds  had  floated  off  to  the  edge  of 


A new  service  for  Green  Scene  readers 

lum  polyphyllum;  Tussilago  farfara 
variegata  (variegated  coltsfoot); 
Hemerocallis  altissima. 

Contact:  H.  Peter  Loewer,  Cochec- 
ton  Center,  New  York,  NY  12727. 

V 

Seed:  Lynchnis  coronaria  'Alba' 
(white  flowered  form) 

Division:  Romneya  coulteri:  would 
like  to  know  if  anyone  is  success- 
fully growing  this  in  this  area. 

Seed:  Argemone  grandiflora 
Contact:  Barbara  Bruno,  Henry  Ave., 
R.D.  6,  Bridgeton,  NJ  08302. 

V 

Rhododendrons  (hybrids)  with 
creamy  or  yellow  flowers.  'Unique' 
is  the  only  one  we  have  been  able 
to  locate. 

Contact:  Mrs.  Charles  M.  Carr,  Vil- 
lage Road,  New  Vernon,  NJ 

V 

Seed  or  plants  of  Welwitschia , Argy- 


the  container.  That  container  promptly 
became  an  excellent  bed  for  vegetables. 

I was  surprised  to  discover  the  low 
incidence  of  insects  in  my  garden. 
Maybe  they  just  don't  like  heights.  I 
carefully  inspected  any  new  additions 
to  the  garden  for  evidence  of  their 
presence.  The  constant  daily  hosing 
kept  the  major  problem,  white  fly,  to 
a minimum.  I added  a few  treatments 
of  Pratt's  white  fly  spray  on  the  orna- 
mentals and  an  Ortho  All  Purpose  in- 
sect spray  for  vegetables:  Tomato  and 
Vegetable  Insect  Spray  (containing 
colenone  and  pyrethrins). 

In  spite  of  all  the  growing  pains,  I 
enjoyed  the  effort  immensely.  As  I 
look  at  my  hibernating  garden  and  plan 
for  spring,  I know  it  won't  be  com- 
prised of  all  annuals.  Oh,  there  will  still 
be  some,  because  I like  the  colors  so. 

A permanent  herb  garden  is  on  the 
drawing  board,  along  with  the  addition 
of  some  hardy  plant  material— a few 
evergreens,  a small  tree.  How  will  they 
fare  with  the  drying  winds?  How  can  I 
best  insulate  the  pots  in  the  winter?  I 
hope  to  report  my  findings  to  these 
and  other  questions  next  winter. 

• 

J.  Blaine  Bonham  is  director  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Green  project. 


roxphium,  and  Cephalotus.  I am 

also  interested  in  exchanging  plants/ 
cuttings  of  unusual  succulents, 
especially  Caudiciforms. 

Contact:  Steven  P.  Silberstein,  Gate- 
wood  Apartments  No.  221,  Corn- 
wells Heights,  PA  19020. 

V 

Source  for  Ribes  (black  currant)  for 
Colonial  Plantation  in  Chester 
County. 

Contact:  Evelyn  Hett,  425  Alliston 
Road,  Springfield,  Pa.  19064. 

V 

Bushy  plant  (Datura  inoxa) 

Contact:  Candy  Curry,  132  E.  Had- 
don  Ave.,  Oaklyn,  NJ  08107 


To  our  readers:  We've  already  gone  to 
press  for  the  July  issue.  Our  normal  lead 
time  for  publications  is  three  months. 
We  must  have  copy  for  the  September 
issue  by  June  15. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photos  by  Dee  Peck 


Getting  Started  with 

Primroses 


pink,  and  red— all  with  a white  eye. 
Self-sowing  is  common,  and  it  is  a 
good  idea  to  pull  and  discard  plants  of 
an  unattractive  color  before  they  seed. 

Desirable  colors  can  be  easily  divided 
after  flowering  in  the  following  man- 
ner: Carefully  lift  the  clump,  shake 
gently  to  remove  soil,  and  carefully 
separate  the  crowns.  Trim  the  roots  of 
each  division  lightly,  remove  dead 
leaves  and  spent  blossoms,  shorten  the 
leaves  by  about  one  half,  and  replant 
in  rich,  well-drained  soil.  Make  sure 
the  crown  is  at  soil  level  and  carefully 
spread  the  roots,  firming  the  soil  about 
them.  Watering  with  diluted  liquid 
fertilizer  at  this  time  will  help  counter- 
act the  shock  of  transplanting.  Take 
care  that  the  divisions  never  dry  out. 
Water  religiously  until  established,  and 
shade  if  necessary.  This  method  of 
division  can  be  used  for  most  primroses 
and  will  increase  choice  colors  rapidly. 

Although  it  is  one  of  the  easiest 
primroses  to  grow,  it  is  important  that 
the  planting  area  of  Primula  denticulata 
be  well-drained  in  winter.  The  plant 
has  rather  heavy,  thong-like  roots 
which,  along  with  the  crown,  will  rot 
in  standing  water.  It  does  better  in  a 
shaded  position  but  will  tolerate  more 
sun  if  planted  near  a large  rock  for 
shade  and  a cool  root  run.  A stone 
mulch  is  also  excellent.  It  promotes 
drainage,  cools  the  soil  and  conserves 
moisture.  Primula  denticulata  is  not 
pretty  when  bloom  is  over.  The  foli- 
age has  enlarged  to  foot-long  cabbage- 
like leaves  and  the  tall  stems  are  topped 
by  untidy  seed  heads.  An  attractive 
solution  is  an  interplanting  of  decidu- 
ous ferns.  The  uncurling  fronds  appear 
after  the  flowers  of  the  primroses  are 
gone.  This  same  camouflage  can  be 
used  with  other  early  flowering 
primroses. 


($&>)  by  Dee  Peck 

The  primula  is  probably  one  of  the 
best  known  plants  throughout  the 
world,  and  yet  the  average  gardener  is 
barely  acquainted  with  even  the  com- 
monest kinds.  Somehow  they  have 
acquired  the  reputation  for  being  exotic 
and  consequently  very  difficult  to 
grow.  Some  of  the  loveliest  are  exotic 
and  impossible  to  grow  away  from 
their  native  terrain,  many  others  can 
be  grown  by  the  expert  gardener,  and 
a generous  number  will  flourish  even 
under  the  hand  of  the  beginner.  In  this 
article  I'll  deal  with  the  last  category 
and  a sprinkling  of  the  more  difficult 
for  those  who  relish  a challenge. 

Most  of  the  400  or  so  species  of 
primroses  are  hardy  perennials  and  are 
scattered  extensively  throughout  all 
parts  of  Europe,  Asia  and  North  Amer- 
ica. Oddly,  only  one  species  is  found 
below  the  equator— Primula  magellanica 
of  South  America.  Probably  the  great- 
est number  are  native  to  Asia  and  were 
introduced  to  the  western  world  by 
plant  explorers  of  the  last  century 
such  as  Reginald  J.  Farrer  and  Francis 
Kingdon-Ward. 

Primulas  are  classified  into  30  sec- 
tions based  on  botanical  characteristics 
such  as  direction  of  leaf  edge  curl,  the 
presence  or  absence  of  petioles  (leaf 
stems)  and  whether  or  not  the  plants 
possess  "farina,"  a silver  or  gold  color- 
ed meal  present  on  the  leaves,  stems, 
and  sometimes  blossoms.  The  species 
we  will  consider  here  fall  into  only  six 


Primula  sieboldii  (Cortusoides) 


sections:  Auricula,  Candelabra,  Denti- 
culata, Vernales,  Cortusoides  and  Fari- 
nosa.  I've  divided  them  according  to 
where  they  grow  best  and  put  them  in 
the  order  in  which  they  appear  in  spring. 

With  few  exceptions,  primroses  share 
the  same  cultural  needs:  a rich  humusy 
soil,  good  drainage,  ever  present  mois- 
ture, and  moderate  amounts  of  light— 
the  need  for  each  depending  upon  the 
degree  of  the  others.  For  example,  if 
your  primroses  are  in  shade,  moisture 
requirements  are  lower  than  if  they  are 
in  the  sun  for  part  of  the  day.  If  your 
soil  is  sandy  and  fast  draining,  water- 
ing must  be  frequent— more  so  than  if 
your  soil  is  a humusy  loam.  Fortunate- 
ly all  these  factors  can  be  modified. 

denticulata 

The  name  Primula  springs  from  the 
Latin  word  "primus,"  or  "first,"  signi- 
fying the  plants'  early  appearance.  The 
very  first  to  appear  in  our  area  is  Pri- 
mula denticulata,  close  on  the  heels  of 
the  last  snow,  and  occasionally  caught 
by  it.  In  mid-March,  this  primrose 
emerges  from  swelling  rosy  buds  that 
remained  barely  visible  when  the  foli- 
age of  the  previous  summerdied  down. 
A sphere  of  blossoms  opens  even  before 
the  stem  elongates.  The  leaves  expand 
as  the  stem  rises  slowly,  usually  to 
about  10  in.  in  height.  The  bloom  per- 
iod is  three  weeks,  and  bloom  color  is 
usually  pale  lavender.  However,  forms 
are  available  in  pure  white,  purple, 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


continued 


2 


Getting  Started  with 
Primroses  continued 

Primula  den ticu lata  cashmeriana  is 
a good  reddish-lavender  form  of  P. 
denticulata  offered  by  many  nurseries. 
It  is  shorter  (four  to  six  inches)  with 
beautiful  silver  farina  on  buds  and  stems. 

farinosa 

From  late  March  to  early  April  the 
"bird's  eye"  or  farinosa  primroses 
appear.  The  type.  Primula  farinosa,  is  a 
tiny  three-inch  lilac-pink  beauty  covered 
with  silvery  meal.  Primula  frondosa  is 
almost  identical,  but  somewhat  larger. 
Primula  rosea  is  a glamorous  cousin  — 
quite  small,  and  a glowing  rosy  pink.  It 
needs  more  moisture  and  thrives  near 
running  water.  Primula  modesta  is  a 
Japanese  relative,  very  similar,  except 
that  it  is  covered  with  gold  meal  rather 
than  silver.  All  have  a white  or  yellow 
eye,  the  reason  for  the  common  name. 
The  last  two  are  somewhat  difficult, 
but  P.  farinosa  and  P.  frondosa  are  well 
worth  trying.  They  want  the  same  cul- 
ture as  P.  denticulata,  and  especially 
love  the  gritty,  humusy  mulch. 

vernales 

The  vernal  primroses  arrive  at  the 
height  of  spring.  They  are  the  ones 
most  of  us  know  and  are  the  easiest  of 
all  to  grow.  The  true  "primrose"  is  the 
wild  primrose  native  to  the  British  Isles, 
Primula  vulgaris.  Its  pale  yellow  blos- 
soms are  borne  singly  on  short  stems 
that  rise  just  above  the  foliage.  Crosses 
with  its  Turkish  counterpart,  the  pink 
to  purple  P.  sibthorpii,  have  yielded 
hybrids  in  an  endless  array  of  colors- 
pink,  rose,  pale  blue,  red,  white,  orange, 
bronze  and  deep  velvety  purple.  These 
hybrids  are  properly  known  as/3,  acaulis. 

Two  other  British  natives,  the  cow- 
slip, P.  veris,  and  the  oxlip,  P.  elatior, 
are  very  easy  to  grow  in  the  Delaware 
Valley.  They  are  not  flashy  beauties 
but  have  a quiet  charm  and  are  of 
special  interest  because  they,  crossed 
with  P.  vulgaris  (or  P.  acaulis),  are 
thought  to  be  the  progenitors  of  the 
fantastic  hybrid  polyanthus  primroses. 

The  polyanthus  primrose  (Primula 
x polyantha)  is  a hybridizing  triumph. 

It  exists  in  every  color,  some  brash  and 
brilliant,  some  pale  and  subtle,  some 
so  deep  a purple  as  to  be  almost  black. 
All  carry  a cluster  of  blossoms  on  a six- 
to  eight-inch  stalk.  There  are  many 
forms,  from  charming  miniatures  to 


Primula  x bullesiana  (Candelabra) 

giants  with  sturdy  stems  and  massive 
flowers.  There  is  'Jack-in-the-Green,' 
an  old  form  with  a green  ruffled  collar 
about  each  blossom.  Some  are  hose-in- 
hose,  some  double.  Other  lovely  old 
forms  are  the  gold-  and  silver-laced 
polyanthus— dark,  dark  colors  neatly 
edged  in  gold  or  silver.  New  hybrids 
keep  coming  from  Japan  and  the  Pacific 
northwest. 

The  last  vernal  primroses  I want  to 
mention  are  Primula  juliae  and  the  P.  x 
juliana  hybrids.  Primula  juliae  is  a low 
plant  with  tiny  half-  to  three-quarter 
inch  kidney-  or  heart-shaped  leaves  and 
luminous  wine  red  blossoms  carried 
singly  on  short  red  stems.  It  spreads 
into  two-inch  high  mats  by  means  of  a 
creeping  rootstock  ratherthan  multiple 
crowns.  A striking  effect  can  be 
achieved  by  interplanting  P.  juliae  with 
bulbs  of  chionodoxa,  scilla,  grape  hya- 
cinths or  early  flowering  miniature 
pale  yellow  daffodils. 

Crossed  with  Primula  vulgaris  or 
acaulis.  Primula  juliae  has  produced 


the  hybrid  line  of  Primula  x juliana. 
The  best  forms  have  the  small  size  of 
P.  juliae  and  have  acquired  the  best  P. 
acaulis  colors.  Some  have  single  blos- 
soms and  some  have  umbellate  clusters. 
Among  the  best  are:  'Wanda,'  crimson- 
magenta;  'Pam,'  brilliant  red;  'Jewel,' 
crimson;  'Schneekissen,'  white;  and 
'Marguerite,'  yellow. 

The  vernal  primula,  unlike  the 
deciduous  denticulata  and  farinosa, 
retains  its  foliage  throughout  the  sum- 
mer and  even  into  the  winter.  Watering 
is  very  important  as  red  spider  can  dis- 
figure the  leaves  and  the  plant  is  weak- 
ened in  conditions  of  drought.  For  the 
same  reason,  partial  shade  and  rich 
moisture  retaining  soil  are  essential.  If 
grown  under  sunnier  conditions,  as 
much  humus  as  possible  should  be 
incorporated  into  the  soil.  Vernal  prim- 
roses multiply  rapidly  and  should  be 
divided  every  two  or  three  years,  in 
the  same  way  as  the  denticulata.  The 
hard  center  portion  of  each  clump 
should  be  discarded. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


auricula 

While  all  this  activity  has  been 
going  on  in  the  woodland  and  its  bor- 
ders, in  the  rock  garden  the  auriculas 
have  been  coming  into  their  own.  The 
distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
auriculas  are  their  thick  succulent 
leaves  and  heavy  stems.  These  qualities 
tell  us  that  they  have  adapted  to  drier, 
more  open  conditions  than  their  thin- 
leaved relatives  are  used  to.  It  also 
points  out  the  importance  of  rapid 
drainage  to  prevent  rotting  of  the  crown 
and  indicates  that  ideal  planting  spots 
would  be  on  scree-like  slopes,  between 
rocks,  or  in  dry  walls.  It  does  not 
mean,  however,  that  the  roots  should 
ever  be  permitted  to  dry  out.  A con- 
stant supply  of  moisture  is  still  neces- 
sary. Fortunately  the  auriculas  are  able 
to  send  their  long  tap-roots  deep  into 
cracks  and  crevices  in  search  of  water. 

The  two  groups  of  auriculas  that 
can  be  grown  out  of  doors  are  the 
European  mountain  or  alpine  auriculas, 
and  the  garden  auriculas.  A third  group, 
"show"  auriculas,  are  a highly  hybri- 
dized group  of  pampered  beauties 


grown  only  in  glass  houses  where  the 
weather  can  never  mar  their  blooms. 
The  wild  mountain  or  alpine  species 
and  their  hybrids  are  an  extensive  group 
and  are  indeed  lovely.  They  are  by  no 
means  impossible  to  grow,  but  tricky 


In  my  opinion,  the  perfect  com- 
plement to  primroses  are  the  ferns. 
The  evergreen  polypodys  and  deli- 
cate spleenworts  can  clamber  over 
the  rocks  and  peer  from  crevices 
near  the  auriculas.  The  damp-loving 
osmundas  and  the  ostrich  fern  are 
perfect  neighbors  for  Primula  japon- 
ica,  and  the  beautiful  maidenhair 
fern  graciously  fills  in  as  the  denti- 
culatas  pass  their  prime. 


enough  that  they  do  not  fall  within 
the  limits  of  this  article.  As  your  exper- 
tise increases,  however,  do  try  some. 


Primula  auricula  (Auricula) 


They  are  somewhat  difficult  to  find, 
but  many  can  be  obtained  from  nur- 
series selling  alpine  plants.  Others  can 
be  grown  from  seed,  available  through 
the  American  Primula  Society  and 
American  Rock  Garden  Society  seed 
lists.  A few  worth  trying  are:  Primula 
auricula  v albo-cincta,  P.  rubra  (also 
called  P.  hirsuta),  P.  x pubescens,  and 
P.  marginata. 

The  garden  auriculas  are  similar  to, 
but  larger  than,  the  alpine  auriculas. 
Through  hybridizing,  the  color  range 
has  been  expanded  from  the  original 
yellow  and  lavender  colors,  into  odd 
and  interesting  shades  including  brown, 
mahogany,  maroon,  crimson  and  grey. 
They  usually  are  found  in  catalogs 
simply  as  Primula  auricula.  The  heavy 
foliage  lasts  all  season  and  well  into 
the  winter. 

Their  culture  is  identical  to  the 
alpine  auricula,  but  they  are  tougher 
and  easier.  Choose  a site  as  described 
for  the  mountain  species,  and  plant  in 
a good,  gritty  soil.  Then  cover  the  sur- 
face with  a thick  stone-chip  or  gravel 
mulch  and  partially  shade  the  plants 
with  large  rocks  if  natural  shade  is 
absent.  They  can  be  divided  after  flow- 
ering just  like  the  other  primroses,  but 
often  the  roots  are  scanty  and  it  is 
wise  to  treat  such  divisions  as  cuttings 
until  more  roots  develop.  A special 
cutting  bed  with  a plastic  covered 
frame  is  useful  for  this.  Place  it  in  a 
bright,  but  shaded  area  and  take  care 
that  it  is  not  too  moist  or  the  crowns 
will  rot.  Just  barely  moist  at  the  roots 
and  humid  around  the  foliage  is  the 
key  to  success. 

cortusoides 

Appearing  just  a little  later  than  the 
vernal  primroses,  but  very  similar  in 
their  cultural  needs  are  the  Japanese 
woodland  primroses,  members  of  the 
cortusoid  section.  The  one  most  com- 
monly grown  is  Primula  sieboldii.  This 
is  a relatively  easy  and  long  lasting 
primrose  that  grows  into  clumps  of 
scalloped  oval  leaves.  Its  underground 
rhizomes  creep  beneath  the  lightly 
shaded  forest  floor,  forming  three-inch 
high  mats.  The  umbels  of  large  one-  to 
two-inch  flowers  rise  well  above  the 
foliage.  The  type  species  is  magenta- 
rose.  Pinks,  reds,  and  a pure  white  are 
available,  however;  all  have  notched 

continued 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Getting  Started  with 

Primroses  continued 

petals,  some  deeply  cut,  lacy  and  frilled 
—truly  beautiful. 

After  flowering,  the  foliage  dies  and 
disappears.  The  rhizomes  can  then  be 
easily  lifted  and  divided— but  need  not 
be  so  often  as  other  primroses.  Because 
of  its  early  dormancy  and  late  spring 
appearance,  it  is  a good  idea  to  care- 
fully mark  the  patches  so  you  won't 
forget  where  they  are  and  inadvertently 
dig  into  them. 

Another  lovely  cortusoid  primrose 
is  Primula  kisoana.  It  has  tuffets  of 
geranium-like  leaves  covered  with  white 
fuzz,  surmounted  by  three  to  five  rose 
colored  blossoms.  The  leaves  are  not 
completely  expanded  until  after  flow- 
ering. It  spreads  by  underground  sto- 
lons—new  baby  plants  appearing  as 
much  as  a foot  away  from  the  parent. 
When  a good  root  system  has  formed 
on  the  offsets,  they  can  be  severed  and 
transplanted  into  well-prepared  soil.  If 
the  situation  is  to  its  liking,  this  prim- 
rose becomes  a veritable  ground  cover. 
It  can  also  be  grown  in  the  rock  garden 
if  partially  shaded  and  well  mulched 
with  rock  chips. 

As  mentioned  earlier,  the  culture  of 
the  cortusoides  is  identical  to  that  of 
the  vernal  primroses  except  that  they 
are  heavy  feeders.  Therefore,  whenever 
dividing  and  replanting,  a well -enriched 
soil  is  a necessity.  If  not  dividing,  an 
application  of  0-10-10  early  in  the  fall 
will  be  good  for  the  plants— hardening 
them  and  sending  them  into  a healthy 
dormancy  for  winter.  Nitrogen  at  this 
time  leads  to  soft,  tender  growth  that 
will  not  survive  winter's  blasts. 

candelabra 

The  last  primroses  to  be  considered 
here  are  the  candelabra.  The  members 
of  this  group  are  moisture  lovers  and 
thrive  at  bog's  edge  and  pond-side. 
Primula  japonica  is  the  typical  cande- 
labra primrose  and  the  one  most  often 
grown.  It  is  quite  tall  and  large  leaved, 
commonly  attaining  a height  of  two 
feet.  It  will  carry  as  many  as  six  tiers 
of  blossoms,  the  first  tier  opening 
close  to  the  newly  expanding  leaves. 
As  the  stem  elongates,  succeeding 
whorls  of  bloom  open  for  about  three 
weeks,  illuminating  the  transition  of 
spring  into  summer.  When  fully  open, 
the  leafy  clump  is  as  much  as  a foot 
across,  the  foliage  long  and  toothed.  P. 
japonica  prefers  shade,  but  with  ade- 


quate moisture  at  the  roots  will  toler- 
ate a sunnier  spot— even  the  perennial 
border.  The  colors  range  from  wine, 
through  rose  and  pink,  to  white.  As 
with  P.  denticulata,  they  come  easily 
from  seed  and  self-sow  freely.  By  cull- 
ing the  poorly-colored  seedlings,  one 
can  obtain  quantities  of  good  color 
selections  with  little  initial  outlay. 
Some  of  the  excellent  named  cultivars 

The  polyanthus  primrose  (Pri- 
mula x polyantha)  is  a hybridiz- 
ing triumph.  It  exists  in  every 
color,  some  brash  and  brilliant, 
some  pale  and  subtle,  some  so  deep 
a purple  as  to  be  almost  black. 

obtainable  as  plants  are  'Glowing  Em- 
bers,' 'Miller's  Crimson,'  'Alba,'  'Pink 
Lady,'  and  'Rosea.'  Because  they  are 
so  prolific  it  is  easy,  when  one  has 
space,  to  have  them  in  great  drifts. 
When  grown  this  way  they  truly  light 
up  the  pond,  stream-side  or  woods 
that  is  their  home. 

Candelabras  go  completely  dormant 
in  fall,  retaining  no  leaves  to  mark 
their  location  through  the  winter,  and 
since  they  resume  growth  very  late  in 
spring,  one  must  be  careful  to  mark  or 
remember  their  location— and  not 
despair  of  their  reappearance. 

Other  candelabras  that  the  more 
skillful  grower  might  try  are  Primula 
beesiana  (which  appears  just  after  P. 
japonica) , Primula  bulleyana,  and  the 
hybrid  of  the  two.  Primula  x bullesiana. 
Another  to  try  is  Primula  pulverulenta. 
The  Bartley  strain  combines  blossoms 
of  lovely  pink  with  silvery -meal  covered 
stems.  Primula  cockburniana  is  the 
smallest  candelabra,  having  only  two 
tiers,  but  the  cultivar  'Red  Hugh'  has 
the  nearest  to  true  red  blossom  of  any 
of  the  primroses. 

growing  from  seed 

Having  been  captivated  by  primroses, 
and  wanting  to  try  a large  variety  not 
easily  obtainable,  growing  them  from 
seed  is  the  next  logical  step.  Here  is  a 
simple  method  that  works: 

Gather  together  in  your  work  area 
the  following  materials:  a very  fine 
sterile  planting  medium  such  as  Jiffy- 
Mix,  mixed  3:1  with  sharp  builder's 
sand;  coarse  grit  or  fine  gravel  for 
covering  the  seeds;  some  paper  towel- 
ling cut  to  fit  the  bottom  of  your  pots; 
labels  and  containers  (I  prefer  square 


2%-3  in.  plastic  pots). 

Place  a small  square  of  paper  towel- 
ling in  the  bottom  of  the  pot  to  pre- 
vent the  medium  from  washing*hrough 
the  drainage  hole.  By  the  time  the 
towelling  deteriorates,  the  medium 
will  have  consolidated  and  will  stay  put. 
Fill  the  pot  to  the  brim  with  the  plant- 
ing mixture  and  firm  it  gently  but  thor- 
oughly with  the  bottom  of  a second 
pot  to  about  one-half  inch  below  the 
pot  rim.  Add  more  medium  if  necessary. 

Until  now  your  seeds  should  have 
been  in  the  refrigerator,  secure  in  a jar 
with  a tight  lid.  From  the  envelope,  or 
a folded  paper,  tap  the  seeds  gently 
onto  the  surface  of  the  medium— not 
too  thickly.  Try  to  keep  them  well- 
spaced (about  one-eighth  to  one- 
quarter  inch  apart).  Now  cover  the 
entire  surface  with  a thin  one-eighth 
inch  layer  of  the  coarse  grit  or  fine 
stone  chips.  Label  with  the  plant 
name,  date,  and  any  other  pertinent 
information. 

Water  from  below  until  the  surface 
of  the  medium  is  obviously  moist.  If 
the  medium  sinks  drastically  into  the 
pot  you  didn't  firm  it  enough. 

Place  pots  securely  in  a well-drained 
flat  and  place  the  flat  in  a spot  outside 
where  it  can  remain  all  winter.  Cover 
flats  with  an  old  window  screen  to 
break  the  force  of  rain  and  exclude 
marauding  mice  and  birds.  Winter  rain 
and  snow  should  take  care  of  your 
watering  problems,  but  watch  the 
weather  and  check  if  necessary. 

Start  looking  for  seedlings  when 
the  temperature  has  been  at  50°  for 
a couple  of  weeks.  When  they  appear, 
place  flats  in  bright  shade,  keep  moist 
but  not  soggy,  and  continue  protection 
with  screen.  Seedlings  are  ready  to 
transplant  as  soon  as  they  are  large 
enough  to  handle  (usually  when  first 
true  leaves  have  appeared).  A plant- 
ing medium  consisting  of  50%  Jiffy- 
Mix,  25%  sand,  and  25%  garden  loam 
(or  a comparable  mixture)  should  be 
used  at  this  stage.  The  loam  helps  retain 
the  fertilizer  in  the  mix,  thus  reducing 
frequent  fertilizing. 

Use  214  in.  pots,  or  standard  flats, 
filled  with  the  above  mix  and  gently 
firmed.  Again  use  paper  towelling 
squares  in  the  pots— or  a sheet  of  news- 
paper in  flats— to  hold  the  medium  in. 
Prick  out  seedlings  and  set  to  just 
below  the  first  set  of  leaves— one  per 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


CHOOSING  PRIMULAS  TO  GROW  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 

Name 

Foliage 

Bloom 

Color  Range 

Ease  of 
Culture 

Name 

Foliage  Bloom  Color  Range  Culture 

Section  Denticulata 

Section  Cortusoides 

P.  denticulata 

d 

e 

pale  lavender 

3 

P.  kisoana 

d m.  to  1.  rose 

2 

P.  d.  cashmeriana 

d 

e 

red-lavender 

3 

P.  sieboldii 

d m.tol.  magenta-rose 

3 

P.  d.  selected  forms 

d 

e 

white,  purple. 

3 

P.  sieboldii  hybrids 

d m.tol.  white,  rose-red. 

3 

pink,  red 

lavender,  pink 

Section  Farinosa 

Section  Candelabra 

P.  farinosa 

d 

e 

lilac-pink 

2 

P.  beesiana 

d 1 magenta  to 

3 

P.  frondosa 

d 

e 

lilac-pink 

3 

rose-carmine 

P.  modesta 

d 

e 

pink,  white 

1 

P.  x bullesiana 

d 1 yellow,  copper. 

3 

P.  rosea 

d 

e 

rose-pink 

1 

orange-red 

P.  bulleyana 

d 1 orange-yellow 

3 

Section  Vernales 

P.  cockburniana 

d 1 copper-orange 

1 

P.  acaulis*  ** 

P 

m 

all  colors 

4 

P.  c.  'Red  Hugh' 

d 1 almost  true  red 

1 

P.  elatior 

P 

m 

yellow 

4 

P.  he/adoxa 

d 1 yellow 

1 

P.  juliae  * 

P 

m 

wine-red 

4 

P.  japonica 

d 1 crimson  wine. 

4 

P.  x juliana 

P 

m 

all  colors 

4 

pink,  white 

P . x polyantha*  ** 

P 

m 

all  colors, 

4 

P.  pu/verulenta 

d 1 best  forms 

3 

some  gold  or 

wine-red 

silver-edged 

P.  p.  'Bartley  Strain' 

d 1 pink  with 

3 

P.  sibthorpii 
P.  veris 

P 

m 

m 

pink  to  purple 
yellow 

4 

silver  stems 

P 

4 

P.  vulgaris 

P 

m 

pale  yellow 

4 

KEY 

■"available,  but  hard  to  find,  as  'Jack-in-the 

-Green'  and  hose 

-in-hose 

Foliage 

""available  with  double  blossoms 

d = deciduous 

Ease  of  Culture 

Section  Auricula 

p = persistent 

4 = easiest  of  all  (can't  fail) 

P.  auricula  hybrids 

P 

m 

yellow,  brown. 

2 

Bloom  period 

j = quite  easy 

(garden  auriculas) 

lavender,  grey. 

e = early  (mid-March  to  early  April)  4 - less  easy 

mahogany,  ma - 

m = mid-spring  (mid-April  to  late  April)  1 = least  easy 

roon,  crimson 

1 = late  spring  (late  Apr 

il  through  May) 

pot  and  one  to  two  inches  apart  in  flats. 
Water  from  below,  drain  well,  and 
place  benegth  screens  in  the  shade  until 
established,  at  which  time  screens  can 
be  removed.  Keep  well  watered  and 
fertilize  with  soluble  fertilizer  at  least 
once  during  the  summer. 

Plant  the  young  primroses  out  in  a 
prepared  area  at  least  two  months 
before  expected  frost  to  allow  plenty 
of  root  development  before  winter. 
This  will  help  prevent  heaving.  A light 
mulch  of  evergreen  boughs  after  the 
ground  has  frozen  also  helps.  Auriculas 
may  not  be  large  enough  to  plant  out 
the  first  year  and  should  spend  the 
winter  in  a cold  frame  or  in  an  area 
protected  from  excessive  moisture. 

have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  plants 

The  late  Doretta  Klaber,  that  mar- 
velous grower  and  writer,  has  written: 
"Beware!  I warn  you!  Primroses  cast  a 
spell.  The  only  way  to  avoid  it  is  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  plants. 
Once  you  start  to  grow  primroses  you 
are  lost.  You  want  more  and  more. 


earlier  and  later  kinds,  more  varieties, 
more  species,  more  colors.  You  start 
with  a few  plants.  You  are  entranced. 
Soon  your  little  patch  spreads.  You 
divide  your  plants  because  you  want 
pools  of  one  color.  You  raise  primroses 
from  seed  to  have  them  by  the  hun- 
dreds. A corner  at  the  edge  of  the 
woods  soon  becomes  ...  a Primrose 
Path.  The  path  grows,  new  paths  branch 
off.  Primroses  are  insidious,  they  are 
devastating— growing  them  becomes  a 
habit.  And  few  things  can  possibly  give 
you  so  much  pleasure  in  both  antici- 
pation and  fulfillment.” 

Sources  for  Primula  Plants  and  Seeds 

Bluestone  Perennials,  Inc.,  7211  Middle 
R idge  Rd .,  Madison,  Ohio  44057 . Excellent 
prices  on  liners  (6  packs  of  small  plants)  of 
P.  x potyantha,  P.  vulgaris,  P.  japonica,  P. 
denticulata  cashmeriana,  and  garden  aur- 
iculas. 

Far  North  Gardens,  1 5621  Auburndale  Ave., 
Livonia,  Michigan  481  54.  Plants  of  choice 
hybrid  P.  acaulis,  P.  x polyantha,  P.  x juti- 
ana,  and  P.  sieboldii.  Also  seed  of  the  fore- 
going and  of  show  auriculas,  hybrid  garden 
auriculas,  P.  denticula,  P.  japonica  and 
numerous  species  difficult  to  obtain  any- 
where but  through  plant  society  seed 


exchanges. 

Geo.  W.  Park  Seed  Co.  Inc.,  Greenwood,  SC 
29647 . Seed  of  P.  acaulis,  P.  x ju liana,  and 
P.  x polyantha. 

The  Rock  Garden,  Rt.  2,  Litchfield,  Maine 
04350.  Plants  of  all  common  and  many 
hard-to-find  kinds  in  all  sections  mentioned 
in  article  (and  more) . 

TheWayside  GardensCo.,  Hodges, SC  29695. 
Plants  of  P.  vulgaris,  P.  x polyantha  and  P. 
x juliana. 

Plant  Societies: 

American  Primrose  Society,  Doretta  Klaber 
Chapter.  Dues,  $3.00  per  year,  to  William 
Siegel  (sec'y-treas.),  3024  Runnymede  Dr., 
Norristown,  Pa.  1 9401 . Two  meetings  per 
year  at  present;  spring  plant  show;  fall 
plant  sale  (members  only). 

American  Primrose  Society  (national).  Dues 
$7.00  per  year,  to  G . K.  Fenderson,  Sec ., 
Grout  Hill,  S.  Acworth,  N.H.  03607.  Quar- 
terly publication , cultural  chart,  and  seed 
exchange. 

• 

Dee  Peck  is  a graduate  of  the  Arboretum  of 
the  Barnes  Foundation  and  is  at  present  a 
horticultural  student  at  Temple  University, 
Ambler  Campus.  She  hopes  to  do  more  free- 
lance writing  and  lecturing  when  her  studies 
are  completed.  She  is  active  in  the  Delaware 
Valley  Rock  Garden  Society,  the  Philadel- 
phia Indoor  Light  Gardening  Society  and 
the  Delaware  Valley  Fern  Society. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photo  by  Saul  E.  Berger 


26 


November  crop.  Left  to  right:  escarole,  broccoli,  beets,  brusse Is  sprouts,  Swiss  chard  and  celery. 


The  Appeal  of 
Eel  Grass  as  a Mulch 

by  Carolyn  Aquino  Berger 


While  I watched  from  my  kitchen 
window  one  day  a robin  swooped  down 
into  the  vegetable  garden.  A few 
moments  later  it  flew  away,  trailing  a 
ribbon  of  black  in  its  beak.  The  ribbon 
was,  in  fact,  a piece  of  eel  grass  being 
used  as  a mulch  in  my  garden.  What  a 
cycle  the  robin  was  completing.  For 
me  the  story  began  1 2 years  ago. 

In  the  summer  of  1 967,  my  husband 
and  I spent  time  in  Galway,  Ireland. 
There  I learned  that  the  people  of  the 
Aran  Islands  used  seaweed  to  improve 
their  soil,  which  was  barren.  Several 
years  later,  while  enrolled  in  the  horti- 
culture program  at  Temple  University, 
Ambler  Campus,  I came  across  a brief 


mention  of  the  use  of  seaweed  for 
compost  as  well  as  mulch.  Checking 
further,  I found  that  some  homeowners 
at  the  Jersey  shore  did  use  seaweed.  In 
addition  to  adding  organic  matter  and 
holding  moisture,  the  seaweed  seemed 
to  offer  rose  plants,  for  example,  pro- 
tection against  certain  diseases  and 
insects. 

My  husband  and  I decided  to  use 
seaweed  in  our  vegetable  garden.  The 
type  most  readily  available  on  Long 
Beach  Island  was  eel  grass.  It  is  really  a 
variety  of  Vallisneria  (Hydrocharitaceae 
or  frogbit  family).  There  are  8 to  10 
species  of  Vallisneria,  commonly  known 
as  wild  celery,  tape  grass  or  water 


celery.  Botanically  seaweeds  are  algae. 
Eel  grass  is  a submerged  grass. 

The  Department  of  Agriculture  pre- 
sents it  as  an  excellent  plant  around 
the  margins  of  lakes,  rivers  or  ponds, 
because  fish  use  it  as  a protective  spawn- 
ing area.  Portions  of  the  plant  are  eaten 
by  waterfowl  and  used  in  nesting.  It 
attracts  marsh  birds,  wildfowl,  shore 
birds  and  small  animals.  Eel  grass  lies 
on  the  bay  side  of  Long  Beach  Island 
in  rippling  waves  of  black,  having  been 
carried  to  the  shore  by  the  gentle  bay 
tides. 

About  seven  years  ago  we  began  to 
bring  back  to  our  Philadelphia  garden 
eight  to  twelve  large  plastic  trash  bags 
of  eel  grass  per  year.  We  hose  it  down, 
to  wash  away  any  salts.  Then  we  spread 
it  between  the  rows  of  vegetable  plants. 
Broccoli  was  the  first  to  receive  this 
treatment.  The  leaves  turned  a very 
dark  green.  And  we  had  no  buggy 
infestations.  Our  kale  plants  fared  as 
well— no  bugs. 

Weeds  do  not  germinate  through 
this  layer  of  mulch.  We've  reduced  our 
slug  population  substantially.  I periodi- 
cally inspect  for  them  under  the  eel 
grass  blanket. 

Aesthetically  it  is  most  attractive. 

Its  color,  fresh  from  the  shore,  is  a dark, 
sooty  charcoal  grey.  With  the  summer 
sun,  it  bleaches  out  before  breaking  up 
and  decomposing. 

The  texture  of  our  soil  has  changed. 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


Author  collects  eel  grass  at  Harvey  Cedars  on  Long  Beach  Island  (N  .J.) . 


It  is  loamy  and  friable.  This  is  the  first 
year  I did  not  turn  over  my  garden.  I 
took  a hoe  and  made  rows,  just  push- 
ing aside  last  year's  eel  grass.  We  calcu- 
late that  we  have  applied  about  one 
pound  of  eel  grass  on  every  square  foot 
of  our  24  ft.  x 24  ft.  vegetable  garden. 

This  past  season,  with  its  pelting 
downpours,  has  proven  the  value  of  eel 
grass.  Several  times  I fully  expected 
the  seeds  would  be  completely  washed 
out.  The  2 to  3 in.  of  eel  grass  piled 
between  the  newly  seeded  rows  really 
saved  the  day.  The  force  of  the  water 
was  broken  by  the  mulch.  The  bulk  of 
the  seeds  germinated.  A few  of  the 
seedling  celery  and  broccoli  plants 
were  tilted  after  one  downpour.  I 
straightened  them  out,  surrounding 
them  with  little  skirts  of  eel  grass  for 
extra  support. 

This  year  I tried  something  new. 
Live  moss  has  been  a constant  plague 
in  my  rock  garden.  I covered  sections 
of  it  with  a 1 in.  layer  of  eel  grass. 
After  three  weeks,  no  more  moss.  When 
uncovered,  the  moss  does  not  return. 

The  layer  of  eel  grass  seems  to  act 
as  an  insultating  cover,  holding  in  the 
heat  of  the  soil.  We  enjoyed  many 
vegetables  from  our  garden  through 
November:  Italian  parsley,  beets.  New 
Zealand  spinach, celery, escarole,  Chin- 
ese cabbage,  Swiss  chard,  green  curled 
endive  and  kale. 

I contracted  for  a chemical  analysis 


of  eel  grass.  The  accompanying  list 
shows  the  many  trace  elements  that 
are  found.  From  this  analysis,  it  would 
appear  that  eel  grass  and  seaweed  share 
the  same  richness  of  trace  elements. 
Perhaps  other  similarities  will  be  found 
in  the  future. 

Lee  Gardner,  cooperative  extension 
agent  at  the  University  of  Rhode  Island, 
wrote  me  that  “vast  tons  of  sand-free 
algae  (seaweed)  are  available  to  farmers 
here  in  Rhode  Island  where  the  'right 
of  passage  for  the  collection  of  sea- 
weed by  farmers'  (a  practice  from 
Colonial  Days)  is  still  strictly  enforced." 

A number  of  studies  have  been 
done  using  seaweed  as  a mulch,  in 
compost,  as  a fertilizer,  as  a "tea"  or 
dry.  The  Horticulture  Department  of 
Clemson  University  in  South  Carolina 
has  investigated  its  effects  on  crops 
and  found  after  a three-year  study  that 
growth-promoting  properties  of  sea- 
weed are  definitely  present  in  sufficient 
amounts  to  stimulate  plant  growth. 
Another  group  of  substances  are  found 
in  seaweed  and  not  in  land  grown 
plants,  which  increases  the  beneficial 
flora  in  the  soil  and  which  prevents 
soilborne  diseases.  More  experimenta- 
tion needs  to  be  done. 

I urge  gardeners  to  try  eel  grass  in 
their  gardens.  In  this  era  of  inflation 
and  shortages  our  friend  Vallisneria 
has  many  advantages— it  is  free  for  the 
taking;  it  is  available  year-round;  it  is 


plentiful,  and  finally  it  is  a pleasant  ex- 
cuse to  go  out  to  the  shore. 


Carolyn  Aquino  Berger  graduated  from  the 
horticultural  program  at  Temple  University, 
Ambler  Campus.  She  has  worked  as  a horti- 
cultural therapist  at  Eagleville  and  Einstein 
hospitals,  and  has  been  a publicity  consultant 
for  the  Morris  Arboretum. 


Chemical  Analysis  of  Eel 


Moisture  at  1 00°C. 

62.6% 

Total  Kjeldahl  Nitrogen  (N) 

0.56% 

Total  Phosphorous  (P2O5) 

0.10% 

Potash  (KtO) 

0.08% 

Iron  (Fe) 

1 000  ppm 

Manganese  (Mn) 

200  ppm 

Copper (Cu) 

1 0 ppm 

Zinc  (Zn) 

27  ppm 

Boran  (B) 

1 700  ppm 

Molybdenum  (Mo) 

7 ppm 

Magnesium  (Mg) 

6600  ppm 

Calcium  (Ca) 

8000  ppm 

References 

American  Horticultural  Society.  News  & 
Views,  January  1979. 

Chapman,  C.  J.  Seaweed  and  Their  Uses. 

Pfeiffer,  E.  E.  "Seaweed."  Organic  Gar- 
dening. 

"Seaweed  Builds  Better  Gardens  8 Ways." 
Organic  Gardening,  Sept.  1975. 

Seaweed  in  the  Home  Garden.  University 
of  Rhode  Island  Extension  Service. 

Stephenson,  W.  A.  Seaweed  in  Agriculture 
& Horticulture. 

Utilization  of  Algae/Plants.  Reference 
List  11-C-13.  International  Oceano- 
. graphic  Foundation. 


27 


the  green  scene  • march  1980 


'(nhift^y^TUuC  a. . 


My  wife  and  I have  enjoyed  vege- 
table gardening  during  the  past  few 
years.  Having  grown  the  traditional 
summer  vegetables,  there  was  always 
an  overabundance  of  cucumbers, 
squash,  tomatoes,  and  beans  that  con- 
tinued to  yield  until  the  first  frost.  We 
do  not  freeze  or  can  vegetables,  so  we 
gave  away  or  threw  away  much  of  the 
produce.  After  giving  some  thought  to 
our  selection  of  vegetables,  we  started 
looking  into  hardy  and  semi-hardy  var- 
ieties that  could  be  harvested  in  fall, 
winter,  and  early  spring.  Our  goal  was 
to  have  a long  harvest  period  of  vege- 
tables needing  a minimum  amount  of 
winter  protection  or  special  storage. 

We  have  not  eliminated  our  summer 
vegetables  but  have  drastically  reduced 
the  space  and  labor  devoted  to  them, 
growing  just  enough  to  satisfy  our  daily 
needs  when  they  are  in  season.  We 
have  also  upgraded  the  quality  of  sum- 
mer vegetables  since  only  a few  plants 
of  each  kind  are  needed.  The  rest  of 
our  gardening  time  is  devoted  to  crops 
that  will  be  harvested  from  September 
through  April. 

To  make  the  crop  transition,  we 
started  with  root  crops.  First  we  experi- 
mented with  carrots.  Instead  of  sowing 
seed  in  April,  it  was  sown  in  July  for 
harvesting  from  September  through 
March.  Sowings  can  be  staggered 
throughout  the  month  so  one  is  not 
faced  with  the  maintenance  problem 
of  having  to  weed  numerous  rows  of 
seedlings  all  at  once.  Avoid  varieties  of 
carrots  that  are  harvested  at  an  early 
age.  Varieties  that  are  recommended 
for  winter  storage  have  been  successful 
for  winter  harvesting.  Carrot  foliage  is 


quite  hardy  and  will  continue  to  grow 
well  into  the  fall.  As  the  weather  gets 
colder  cover  any  exposed  root  tops 
with  soil.  That  protects  them  from 
frost  damage,  yet  allows  the  tops  to 
continue  growing  if  there  is  a mild  fall. 

We  are  also  trying  varieties  of 
winter  hardy  leaf  crops  such  as 
lettuce,  cabbage  and  spinach, 
which  will  be  sown  in  summer  or 
fall  to  be  harvested  in  early  spring. 

It  has  been  our  experience  that  the 
flavor  of  carrots  improves  as  the 
weather  turns  colder. 

Another  root  vegetable,  salsify  or 
vegetable  oyster  because  it  has  a flavor 
reminiscent  of  oysters,  has  also  been 
satisfactory  for  fall  and  winter  use. 
Seed  should  be  sown  in  a row  in  May 
and  thinned  to  3 in.  apart.  The  roots 
stay  in  good  condition  all  winter. 
Make  sure  all  roots  are  out  of  the 
ground  before  the  garden  is  rototilled 
in  the  spring.  If  roots  are  left,  the  cut 
up  pieces  will  sprout  and  have  to  be 
weeded  out. 

This  past  year  we  grew  beets  for  the 
first  time.  The  variety  selected  was 
Long  Season  or  Winter  Keeper,  dis- 
tributed by  Harris  Seed  Co.  Sown  in  a 
row  in  midsummer,  they  germinated 
quickly  and  were  thinned  4 to  6 in. 
apart.  Long  Season  beets  become  quite 
rough  looking  but  retain  good  flavor. 
Although  they  hold  up  well  in  winter, 
the  beets  may  be  damaged  if  not  pro- 
tected from  severe  freezing. 

After  we  found  good  recipes  for 
parsnips,  they  became  a welcome  addi- 
tion to  our  winter  harvest.*  Seeds  are 
sown  in  a row  in  May  and  thinned  to  3 


to  4 in.  apart.  We  have  been  particu- 
larly satisfied  with  Harris  Model.  Par- 
snips are  best  harvested  in  late  fall 
through  late  winter.  Once  plants  begin 
to  grow  in  the  spring,  the  roots  lose 
much  of  their  flavor. 

Hardy  varieties  of  leeks  are  perhaps 
the  sturdiest  of  the  vegetables  harvested 
in  winter.  Leek  seed  should  be  sown  in 
a pot  or  flat  in  February  or  March. 
Grown  under  very  cool  conditions,  the 
seedlings  can  be  left  in  the  seed  pot 
until  they  can  be  moved  into  the  gar- 
den in  April.  Seedlings  should  be 
planted  3 to  4 in.  apart  in  trenches  4 
to  6 in.  deep.  As  the  leeks  become 
taller  and  thicker,  the  trenches  are 
gradually  filled  in  to  develop  the  long 
white  stalks.  Once  the  trenches  are 
completely  filled  in,  there  is  very  little 
to  do  until  harvest  time.  Leeks  can  be 
used  almost  any  time  during  the  grow- 
ing season.  We  prefer  to  use  the  crop 
exclusively  from  late  fall  to  early  spring. 

Traditionally,  root  crops  were  dug 
in  the  fall  and  stored  in  peat  or  soil  in 
root  cellars  and  barns.  We  leave  the 
crops  in  the  ground  and  harvest  them 
as  needed.  To  prevent  the  ground  from 
freezing  around  the  roots  we  cover  the 
crops  with  leaves  as  the  weather  gets 
progressively  colder.  Depending  on  the 
temperature,  crops  should  be  covered 
between  the  end  of  November  and  the 
end  of  December.  Covering  too  early 
may  force  the  foliage  of  some  plants 
to  keep  growing.  It  may  also  attract 
rodents.  Covering  late  in  the  season 
reduces  the  chance  of  an  infestation. 

Depth  of  leaf  cover  is  contingent 
upon  the  severity  of  the  winter.  In 
mild  winters  very  little  cover  is  needed. 


*We've  been  using  Cooking  with  Vegetables, 
Alex  D.  Hawkes,  Simon  & Schuster,  N.Y., 
1968. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photo  by  Tom  Buchter 


Vegetable 

Carrots 
(sow  in  July) 

Salsify 
(sow  in  May) 


Beets 

(sow  in  July) 


Parsnips 
(sow  in  May) 


Leeks 

(sow  in  pots 
Feb. -March) 


by  Thomas  Buchter 


View  of  garden 


A two  foot  depth  of  leaves  prevents 
the  soil  from  freezing  even  in  very  cold 
seasons.  After  the  rows  are  covered,  it 
is  important  to  mark  them  with  a tall 
stake  so  they  can  be  located  when  the 
garden  is  covered  with  snow. 

We've  been  able  to  harvest  root 
vegetables  through  the  winter  success- 
fully. We  do  not  have  to  double  handle 
crops,  which  is  done  when  they  are 
put  into  storage.  They  are  chilled  and 
firm  since  adequate  moisture  is  in  the 
garden  soil.  We  have  not  experienced  a 
winter  when  it  was  impossible  to  har- 


vest the  crops.  By  March  we  remove  all 
root  crops,  plant  debris,  and  leaves 
from  the  garden.  This  is  for  sanitation 
and  makes  preparation  for  spring  sow- 
ing easier. 

We  are  refining  our  root  crop 
choices  and  expanding  our  hardy  vege- 
table selection  to  include  broccoli  and 
brussels  sprouts  for  harvest  in  fall  and 
early  winter.  We  are  also  trying  varie- 
ties of  winter  hardy  leaf  crops  such  as 
lettuce,  cabbage  and  spinach,  which 
will  be  sown  in  summer  or  fall  to  be 
harvested  in  early  spring.  Although 


these  crops  have  been  grown  in  Europe 
successfully,  their  winters  are  usually 
milder  and  more  stable  than  ours.  Per- 
haps many  of  these  leafy  vegetables 
will  be  able  to  withstand  our  winters 
with  minimal  protection. 

We  will  probably  have  some  failures 
as  we  try  new  vegetables,  but  the 
pleasure  of  harvesting  fresh  vegetables 
throughout  the  year  makes  it  a worth- 
while and  challenging  project. 

Thomas  Buchter  is  associate  director  of  the 
Henry  Foundation. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Some  Useful  Landscape  Design  Books 
for  Small  Suburban  Properties 

(5^)  by  David  L.  Tyler 


My  wife  and  I garden  on  a suburban 
lot  1 00  ft.  by  270  ft.  I remember  when 
we  came  to  the  area  some  years  ago  I 
wanted  two  or  three  acres.  Now  we  feel 
that  our  knowledge  and  pleasure  in 
gardening  have  been  increased  and 
intensified  because  of  the  limitations 
of  space. 

The  classical  concepts  of  landscape 
architecture  are  of  the  past.  We  must 
enjoy  them  as  spectators.  Today,  we 
cannot  fill  in  a marsh  and  remove  a 
"mean  huddle  of  houses"  as  Louis  XIV 
could  to  allow  LeNotre  to  create  the 
beauties  of  Versailles.  Much  the  same 
applies  to  the  creations  of  Repton, 
Capability  Brown  and  A.  J.  Downing. 
Frederick  Law  Olmstead  changed  the 
contours  of  many  acres  to  create  Cen- 
tral Park  in  New  York  City.  However, 
the  basic  principles  of  balance,  propor- 
tion, mass,  texture  and  color  still  apply 
to  the  creation  of  a satifying  personal 
property. 

We  found  the  Book  of  Landscape 
Design  by  H.  Stuart  Ortloff  and  Henry 
B.  Raymore  to  be  well  suited  to  our 
needs.  These  men  are  nationally  known 
lecturers,  educated  in  and  practicing 
landscape  design.  They  write  for  the 
layman.  The  book  is  an  overview  and 
all  aspects  of  the  subject  are  covered  in 
300  pages.  The  aesthetic  rules  of  land- 
scape design  are  well  explained  in  a 
chapter  of  that  title.  The  value  of  the 
book  can  be  summed  up  in  one  quota- 
tion by  the  authors: 

"One  should  never  say,  'I  hate  any- 
thing formal,'  or,  'I  dislike  wild, 
natural,  unrestrained  growth,'  but 
rather  one  should  let  the  solution 
of  the  problem  grow  from  the  basic 
circumstances  of  the  site,  the  neigh- 
borhood, the  life  of  the  family,  its 
economic  and  social  needs  and  many 
other  factors  which  have  nothing 
to  do  with  'formal  vs.  informal.'" 

the  limitations  of  a 
suburban  garden 

Suburban  properties  impose  several 
limitations  that  must  be  dealt  with. 
The  trees  and  shrubbery  on  the  neigh- 


bor's property  only  a few  feet  away 
may  limit  your  possibilities  in  the  adja 
cent  area.  The  continued  growth  of 
trees  and  the  houses  across  the  street 
have  an  effect  on  your  property.  You 
must  adapt  to  them.  My  neighbor  said 
this  summer  "Dave,  I used  to  have 


Nichols  says,  “Every  conifer  has 
a definite  personality  of  its  own 
and  which  proclaims  itself  from 
its  earliest  youth,  and  to  buy  a 
tree,  even  a baby,  from  a catalog 
is  as  foolish  as  to  adopt  a child 
by  parcel  post.” 


such  beautiful  zinnias  in  this  bed.  The 
last  two  years  they've  been  terrible.  I 
must  have  lost  my  green  thumb.”  Next 
door  the  oak  tree  has  continued  to  grow 


and  now  allows  only  three  hours  of 
sunlight  for  her  zinnias  in  midsummer. 

We  need  to  study  the  influence  of 
environments  on  growth.  The  basic 
story  is  told  in  a series  of  essays  by 
May  T.  Watts  in  Reading  the  Landscape. 
These  delightful  essays  written  in  non- 
technical, chatty  prose  cover  all  sectors 


of  our  country.  The  interrelationships 
of  climate,  animals  and  plants  are 
clearly  presented  as  Watts  takes  the 
reader  up  mountains  and  down  ravines. 
The  bibliography  at  the  end  of  each 
chapter  is  extensive  and  numerically 
keyed  to  the  text  for  further  experi- 
ences in  this  kind  of  study. 

We  have  a large  maple  in  our  back 
yard.  Years  ago  we  reveled  in  its  shade 
but  now  its  roots  extend  into  practi- 
cally all  our  flower  beds.  Help  arrived 
from  English  author  Beverley  Nichols, 
whose  book  Garden  Open  Today  tells 
among  many  other  things  how  he  deals 
with  tree  roots.  He  recommends  con- 
taining tree  roots  by  digging  a trench 
around  the  tree  about  two  feet  deep 
and  placing  a solid  barrier  of  concrete 
blocks  in  the  trench,  then  filling  the 
balance  of  the  trench  with  soil.  Gener- 
ally, it  is  safe  to  prune  the  roots  of 
smaller  trees  to  a radius  of  6 ft.  from 
the  trunk,  according  to  Nichols. 

His  book  is  filled  with  a discussion 
of  ordinary  garden  problems  and  solu- 
tions. He  writes  at  length  of  his  favor- 
ites and  each  chapter  offers  a delightful 
mixture  of  expert  advice  and  personal 
experience.  Nichols  gardens  in  England 
and  as  John  Kieran  points  out  in  A 
Natural  History  of  New  York  City  his 
city  is  700  miles  south  of  London.  The 
weatherman  tells  us  each  night  that 
our  weather  comes  to  us  over  land 
from  the  west,  north  and  south.  Eng- 
lish weather  travels  only  a short  dis- 
tance over  land  and  brings  with  it  the 
influence  of  ocean  currents  and  mois- 
ture from  water.  What  this  means  is 
that  we  are  careful  not  to  accept  state- 
ments of  hardiness  and  growth  patterns 
without  comparing  with  local  sources 
carefully.  Returning  to  Nichols,  almost 
every  page  contains  a gem.  He  says, 
"Every  conifer  has  a definite  person- 
ality of  its  own  and  which  proclaims 
itself  from  its  earliest  youth,  and  to 
buy  a tree,  even  a baby,  from  a catalog 
is  as  foolish  as  to  adopt  a child  by 
parcel  post."  Chapters  include  selection 
by  colors,  water  magic,  fragrance,  roses 
and  others.  Unlike  many  other  authors 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


books  and  the  qreen  world 


Nichols  writes  freely  of  his  failures  and 
disappointments.  To  hear  of  failure 
from  one  so  experienced  gives  me  hope. 

how  to  get  the  job  done 

If  we  were  starting  over  I think  I'd 
plan  the  size,  location,  and  shape  of 
our  beds,  call  in  a crew  of  workmen, 
have  all  of  the  soil  to  a depth  of  1 2 in. 
removed  and  replaced  with  a “loose, 
friable"  soil  as  the  seed  packets  say. 
Building  good  garden  soil  is  long  work 
and  those  who  advocate  homemade 
compost  as  a sole  solution  are  over- 
simplifying. The  amount  of  compost 
required  to  improve  the  clay  left  by 
contractors  is  considerable.  A 5 ft. 
x 15  ft.  bed  prepared  to  a depth  of 
1 ft.  is  75  cu.  ft.  Choose  any  accept- 
able soil  mixture  say,  1 part  soil,  1 part 
humus  or  compost  or  Canadian  peat 
and  1 part  sand.  The  big  bales  of  Cana- 
dian peat  at  the  garden  centers  are 
packed  tight  and  contain  6 cu.  ft.  (more 
when  fluffed  up).  This  bed  would 
require  four  of  these  bales.  Then  add 
the  sand  and  you  wind  up  with  a good 
flower  bed  and  quite  a bit  of  poor  soil 
to  get  rid  of.  The  factors  involved  in 
having  good  soil  are  covered  well  by 
Ortloff  and  Raymore  in  A Book  About 
Soils  for  the  Home  Gardener.  This  text 
of  180  pages  covers  the  kinds  of  soil, 
fertilizers,  importance  of  water,  control 
of  water  and  even  a chapter  on  the 
tools  a gardener  should  have.  Helpful 
suggestions  are  on  most  every  page. 
Example:  "Many  gardeners  feel  that 
the  soil  must  be  constantly  kept  in  a 
loose  fluffy  condition.  This  is  not  so 
and  a word  of  caution  is  in  order.” 
The  authors  explain  that  recent  experi- 
ments show  that  overly  intensive  culti- 
vation may  so  change  the  soil  structure 
that  its  pore  spaces  are  destroyed  or 
decreased.  The  benefits  of  each  chemi- 
cal required  for  balanced  plant  growth 
is  discussed.  Even  the  most  experienced 
gardener  will  improve  his  knowledge 
and  gardening  quality  from  the  experi- 
ence of  these  men. 

I have  left  the  selection  of  trees, 
woody  shrubs,  perennials,  annuals  and 


bulbs  until  last  because  the  choice 
among  gardeners  varies  so  widely.  Gar- 
den magazines  are  filled  with  “how  to" 
articles  on  so  many  that  it  becomes 
redundant.  I suggest  you  study  carefully 
before  selecting  any  tree.  Today  a cer- 
tain tree  may  be  fine  but  will  it  be  10 
or  20  years  from  now?  I like  the  help 
furnished  by  Nature's  Guide  to  Suc- 


cessful Gardening  and  Landscaping  by 
William  Flemer  III.  His  book  contains 
many  tables  comparing  trees  and  large 
shrubs  of  all  types.  Ultimate  height 
and  hardinessare  listed  for  each  variety 
included.  Flemer,  a nurseryman  in 
Princeton,  NJ,  discusses  all  aspects  of 
his  subject  but  seems  most  at  home 
with  trees  and  offers  much  help  on 
placement,  care  and  the  special  char- 
acteristics they  each  possess. 

Donald  Wyman's  Dwarf  Shrubs 
takes  care  of  the  balance  of  the  woody 
material  you  might  want  to  choose. 

The  scope  of  the  book  is  explained  by 
the  author  in  his  introduction  as  he 
says,  "The  woody  plants  that  are  con- 
sidered dwarf  in  these  pages  are  those 
3 ft.  tall  or  less  when  mature."  Ample 
classification  tables  are  included  by 
category.  The  index  in  the  back  lists 
each  shrub  in  the  text  as  well  as  its 
popular  name  if  there  is  one.  An  excel- 
lent reference  book  covered  in  1 30  pages. 


According  to  the  classical  school  of 
landscape  design  "color  is  a bonus." 
Insofar  as  the  suburbanite  is  concerned 
I believe  it  is  very  important.  The  sub- 
urban property  must  display  color  if  it 
is  to  identify  itself  from  its  neighbors. 
We  have  read  many  books  that  discuss 
perennials,  annuals,  biennials  and  bulbs 
together  and  in  separate  volumes.  Ort- 
loff and  Raymore  furnished  us  with 
one  book  that  covers  them  all.  Their 
book  Color  and  Design  for  Every  Gar- 
den is  one  of  the  most  comprehensive 
texts  we  know  of.  There  are  designs  by 
shape,  color,  season  and  scale.  In  addi- 
tion there  are  lists  of  plants,  textures, 
colors  and  foliage.  The  color  schemes 
and  variations  are  almost  endless.  These 
are  all  supplemented  with  helps  such 
as  “Often  when  a designer  has  been 
bold  for  a moment,  he  spoils  a sharp 
contrast  by  introducing  white,  long 
considered  the  one  color  which  is  safe. 
Yet  white  can  drain  off  too  much  of 
the  deeper  vibrant  color.  . . a better 
method  of  holding  down  vivid  contrasts 
is  to  reduce  the  quantity  not  the  quality 
of  a composition." 

With  a new  garden  season  about  to 
begin,  I hope  you'll  take  advantage  of 
these  books  and  look  for  better  solu- 
tions to  the  problems  you  have. 


References 

A Book  of  Landscape  Design,  H.  Stuart  Ort- 
loff and  Henry  B.  Raymore.  Barrows,  New 
York,  1959 

A Book  about  Soils  tor  the  Home  Gardener, 
H.  Stuart  Ortloff  and  Henry  B.  Raymore. 
Barrows,  New  York,  1962 
Garden  Open  Today,  Beverley  Nichols.  Dut- 
ton, New  York,  1963 

Nature's  Guide  to  Successful  Gardening  and 
Landscaping,  William  Flemer  III.  Crowell, 
New  York,  1972 

Reading  the  Landscape,  May  Theilgaard 
Watts.  Macmillan,  New  York,  1957 

• 

David  L.  Tyler  lives  in  suburban  Philadelphia 
and  has  been  a hobby  gardener  all  of  his  life. 
He  has  been  a PHS  member  since  1 954.  Tyler 
has  taken  some  Longwood  Garden  courses, 
some  PHS  coursesand  enrolled  in  the  School 
of  Landscape  Design  conducted  by  the  Gar- 
den Club  Federation.  His  main  gardening 
interests  are  azaleas  and  dwarf  rhododendrons. 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


Hardy  Fuchsias  In  the  Delaware  Valley 


I was  first  introduced  to  the  hardy 
fuchsia.  Fuchsia  magellanica,  through 
an  attractive  mail  order  catalog,  which 
claimed  the  plant  was  hardy  outdoors. 

I was  skeptical.  I checked  at  a local 
arboretum,  and  they  too  were  skeptical. 
My  curiosity  finally  won  out  and  now, 
five  years  later,  I still  have  my  original 
plant  growing  in  the  garden.  It  gets 
bigger  and  better  every  year  and 
blooms  from  late  June  until  frost.  Last 
year  the  frost  was  so  late  that  there 
were  still  a few  flowers  at  the  end  of 
October. 

The  hardy  fuchsia  is  a miniature  of 
the  more  commonly  seen  large  flowered 
hybrids.  Small  VA  in.  blossoms  hang 
from  the  branches  in  profusion.  The 
sepals  and  tube  (outer  parts  of  the 
flower)  are  red  with  the  violet-blue 
petals  peeking  out  from  under  the 
sepals.  Keeping  in  scale  with  the  flow- 
ers, the  leaves  are  also  reduced  in  size. 

In  the  Delaware  Valley,  winter  kills 
the  stems  to  the  ground  but  in  spring 
vigorous  shoots  will  arise  from  the  base. 
By  the  time  flowering  commences  in 
late  June  or  early  July  the  shoots  may 
already  be  as  much  as  2 ft.  high, depend- 
ing on  the  variety. 

Researching  further,  I discovered 
that  in  milder  climates  Fuchsia  magel- 
lanica can  become  quite  a large  rounded 
shrub,  reaching  8 ft.  in  height.  The 
larger  stems  have  papery  tan  bark. 
Popular  as  a garden  plant  in  the  British 
Isles,  it  has  escaped  to  grow  wild  in  the 
mild  climate  of  Ireland. 

A native  of  Chile,  the  hardy  fuchsia 
occurs  over  a range  of  1,500  miles 
extending  south  to  the  frigid  Straits  of 
Magellan.  It  can  be  found  in  thickets 
from  the  Pacific  coast  into  the  lower 
elevations  of  the  Andes. 

Historically,  Fuchsia  magellanica  is 
of  interest  because  it  is  probably  the 
first  species  to  be  introduced  into  culti- 
vation. It  is  unclear  just  how  it  reached 
England  but  it  is  thought  that  a sailor 
took  it  to  his  mother  in  London.  A 
local  nursery  firm  discovered  it  there 
brought  it  into  commerce  in  the  late 
1780's.  Whether  this  was  actually  F. 
magellanica  or  the  closely  related  F. 


(jj5^)  by  Charles  O.  Cresson 

coccinea  is  not  certain,  but  before  long 
both  were  in  cultivation  and  the  former 
predominated  due  to  its  superior  hardi- 
ness. In  the  years  that  followed,  natural 
varieties  of  F.  magellanica  from  differ- 
ent localities  in  Chile  were  introduced 
that  differed  in  habit  and  flower  shape; 
such  varieties  as  gracilis,  conica,  and 
discolor  constituting  the  first  garden 
varieties  of  fuchsias.  These  varieties 
and  the  early  hybrids  are  of  special 
interest  to  us  because  of  their  hardi- 
ness. The  hybrid  'Riccartonii'  origin- 
ated as  a chance  seedling  in  Scotland 


Historically,  Fuchsia  magellanica 

is  of  interest  because  it  is  prob- 
ably the  first  species  to  be  intro- 
duced into  cultivation. 


around  1 830.  'Corallina'  was  produced 
in  1842.  Today's  race  of  popular 
fuchsia  hybrids  began  when  F . magel- 
lanica was  crossed  with  F . fulgens  and 
other  tender  large  flowered  species. 

Hardy  fuchsias  are  not  new  to  this 
country  either.  They  had  been  grown 
in  parts  of  New  York  state  as  early  as 
1940. 

Fuchsias  are  not  fussy  about  soil 
but  a heavy  poorly  drained  soil  in  a 
hot  location  seems  to  encourage  the 
fatal  wilt  disease.  A rich  well-drained 
loam  is  most  suitable. 

Choose  a location  that  receives 
afternoon  shade  and  sun  only  during 
the  cooler  parts  of  the  day.  Even  in 
heavier  shade  you  can  still  get  moderate 
bloom.  Hot  afternoon  sun  can  check 
flowering  in  midsummer  and  also 
attracts  Japanese  beetles,  which  are 
not  a problem  in  shade. 

A fine  textured  plant,  F uchsai magel- 
lanica is  best  when  viewed  at  close 
range.  That  and  its  cultural  require- 
ments make  it  a perfect  candidate  for 
a bed  next  to  a cool  patio  where 
leisurely  summer  afternoons  and  even- 
ings are  spent.  Hardy  fuchsias  are  also 
suitable  for  the  front  of  a shrub  border, 
a shaded  perennial  bed  or  to  provide 
summer  color  in  a woodland  garden. 

General  care  is  really  quite  simple. 


A light  mulch  practically  eliminates 
weeding.  A good  general  fertilizer, 
though  not  essential,  will  improve 
vigor  and  flower  production. 

planting 

Spring  is  the  best  planting  season  so 
they  will  be  well  established  by  winter. 
Set  the  new  plants  as  much  as  4 in. 
deeper  than  they  were  previously  grown 
and  fill  in  the  soil  around  them  in  the 
autumn.  At  least  two  or  three  stems 
will  originate  below  the  soil  and  more 
buds  will  then  be  protected  for  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  When  transplanting  use 
the  same  technique  as  it  helps  to  in- 
crease the  size  of  the  plants.  Given  a 
good  start,  they  can  be  left  alone  for 
years. 

Just  to  be  on  the  safe  side  it  is  a 
good  idea  to  apply  a 6 in.  mulch  in  the 
fall  to  keep  the  soil  from  freezing  too 
deeply.  The  mulch  should  be  as  fluffy 
as  possible  since  the  air  spaces  provide 
additional  insulation.  Salt  hay,  pine 
needles,  or  even  oak  leaves  are  good 
but  not  maple  leaves  or  the  like  as 
they  mat  down  too  much  by  spring. 
To  prevent  the  leaves  from  blowing 
away,  hold  them  down  with  sticks, 
evergreen  branches,  or  anything  of  this 
nature  laid  on  top.  I leave  the  old 
fuchsia  tops  on  until  spring,  mulching 
around  and  between  the  stems,  which 
helps  to  keep  the  air  spaces  open.  Re- 
move the  mulch  and  cut  the  dead  stems 
to  the  ground  before  growth  begins  in 
the  spring. 

Among  the  hardy  fuchsias  there  are 
many  forms  to  choose  from,  offering 
considerable  variety.  I have  not  tried 
all  of  them  in  our  climate  but  some  are 
bound  to  prove  hardier  than  others. 
The  first  group  listed  below  should  be 
successful  in  the  Delaware  Valley: 

• F.  magellanica  gracilis  (also  known 
as  var.  macrostema)  is  characterized 
by  long  narrow  flowers  with  sepals 
twice  as  long  as  the  petals.  Most  of 
the  plants  sold  simply  as  F.  magel- 
lanica seem  to  belong  to  this  variety. 

I have  two  forms.  One  is  of  upright 
habit  while  the  other,  spreading  and 
prostrate,  would  be  suitable  for 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


photo  by  Charles  Cresson 


Fuchsia  magellanica  (Barnes  Foundation  form)  on  terrace  in  Swarthmore. 


hanging  over  a wall. 

• 'Scarlet  Beauty'  and  'Senorita'  are 
said  to  be  hardy  selections. 

• 'Riccartonii'  is  a vigorous  hybrid 
with  globular  flowers. 

• 'Corallina'  deserves  special  note  as 
an  ornamental  hardy  hybrid.  It  has 
flowers  and  leaves  twice  the  size  of 
the  others  and  forms  a neat  mound 
over  a foot  high.  The  recent  severe 
winters  have  not  discouraged  it. 
Any  form  of  Fuchsia  magellanica  is 

worth  trying.  The  following  varieties 
might  be  particularly  interesting  but 
their  hardiness  is  undetermined: 

• F.  magellanica  conica  (var.  typica) 
comes  from  the  colder  south  of 
Chile.  It  is  rarely  grown,  possibly 


because  its  flowers  are  smaller.  It  is 
distinguished  from  var.  gracilis  by 
its  sepals  which  are  almost  as  short 
as  the  petals. 

• F.  m.  gracilis  'Variegata'  has  leaves 
with  white  margins. 

• F.  m.  gracilis  'Versicolor'  and  'Folia- 
Variegata'  have  variegated  foliage 
suffused  with  pink. 

• F.  m.  moiinae  and  'Maiden's  Blush' 
have  pale  pink  flowers  and  are  less 
vigorous. 

Of  the  many  fuchsias  that  you  can 
buy  in  garden  centers,  only  certain 
forms  of  the  magellanica  are  hardy  in 
the  Delaware  Valley.  I have  great  hopes 
that  hybridization  will  add  to  the  var- 
ieties suitable  for  use  as  perennial  gar- 


den plants.  Even  now  hardy  fuchsias 
are  worthy  of  greater  popularity  and 
can  be  a novel  addition  to  most  gardens 


Sources  of  Hardy  Fuchsias 

Some  local  nurseries  and  garden  centers 
International  Grower's  Exchange,  Box 
397,  Farmington,  Michigan  48024 
Lamb  Nurseries,  E.  101  Sharp  Avenue, 
Spokane,  Washington  99202,  offers 
several  varieties 

Wayside  Gardens,  Hodges,  South  Carolina 
29695 


Charles  Cresson,  a graduate  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Vermont,  is  a horticulturist  living  in 
Swarthmore.  He  is  interested  in  hearing 
about  other  gardeners'  experiences  with 
hardy  fuchsias. 


33 


the  green  scene  • may  1980 


34 


The  Ugly 
Roof  Drain 

($£)  by  Glenn  B.  Geer 

A downspout  emptying  near  a patio 
can  pose  the  hard-to-live-with  problem 
of  roof  water  washing  soil  across  the 
patio.  The  immediate  solution  is  to 
attach  a drain  pipe  to  the  downspout 
to  lead  the  water  past  the  patio  area. 
This  solves  the  initial  problem  but 
creates  another;  it  is  ugly. 

Ugly  drain  pipes  are  often  buried, 
quickly  solving  the  aesthetic  problem. 
But  burying  a drain  may  mean  trench- 
ing long  lengths  of  pipe  before  a lower 
elevation  suitable  for  dumping  the 
drain  water  can  be  found.  It  is  also  a 
lot  of  work  and  expense. 

This  problem  was  taken  care  of  at 
my  home  by  burying  the  drain  pipe 
above  the  existing  level  of  the  soil.  A 
4-in.  drain  pipe  ran  parallel  to  the  patio 
on  top  of  the  ground.  A 6-in.  curb  was 
placed  between  the  drain  pipe  and  the 
edge  of  the  patio.  Then  the  ground 
level  behind  the  curb  was  raised  to  the 
height  of  the  curb,  just  covering  the 
drain  pipe.  The  end  of  the  pipe  was 
covered  with  a small  grate  to  keep  ani- 
mals out. 

Since  there  were  only  2 in.  of  soil 
covering  the  pipe  there  was  not  much 
room  to  plant  anything.  It  seemed  this 
was  still  going  to  be  an  ugly  space  until 
I discovered  a beautiful  low  evergreen. 

I found  the  plant  growing  quite  vigor- 

classified  ads 


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Pipe  area  covered  with  sedum. 


DRAINPIPE  ^ 

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EXISTING 
-SOIL  LEX/ EL' 


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ously  across  the  floor  of  a greenhouse 
at  Temple  University,  Ambler  Campus, 
where  I work.  The  plant  appeared  to 
be  an  ideal  ground  cover  for  the  drain 
pipe  area,  but  I needed  to  find  out 
more  about  it. 

After  searching  the  campus  library 
and  making  some  inquiries,  I was  able 
to  identify  the  plant  as  Sedum  album, 
stonecrop.  It  is  a smooth  perennial 


herb,  with  creeping  stems.  Its  leaves, 
about  a quarter  of  an  inch  long,  grow 
alternately  along  the  stem  and  the 
plant  produces  lovely  white  panicles  of 
flowers  in  June.  Its  shallow  roots  lie 
within  the  top  inch  of  soil.  That  made 
it  ideal  for  the  situation.  It  also  spreads 
rapidly  as  an  evergreen  mat  across  the 
soil  surface.  The  plant  grows  about  2 
in.  high  and  the  flowers  may  stand  up 
another  2 in.  It  does  well  in  full  sun 
but  light  shade  is  no  deterrent. 

Sedum  album  is  not  readily  available 
at  nurseries  but  there  are  other  varieties 
of  sedum  which  will  do  as  well  in  a 
similar  situation.  Sedum  acre  is  a pop- 
ular one,  and  is  very  similar  in  habit  of 
growth.  It  produces  yellow  flowers 
instead  of  white. 

From  a garden  designer's  point  of 
view,  the  curb  served  to  enhance  the 
patio.  It  gave  definition  to  the  space 
by  outlining  the  edge  of  the  patio,  yet 
it  did  not  appear  to  be  constricting. 
The  low  evergreen  mat  of  sedum  some- 
times grows  over  the  edge  of  the  curb, 
softening  the  hard  concrete  edge.  The 
mat  extends  from  the  patio  over  the 
drain  area  to  a privet  hedge  giving  the 
illusion  of  a wide  patio  space. 

• 

Glenn  B.  Geer  is  assistant  professor  of  land- 
scape design  at  Temple  University,  Ambler 
Campus. 


UNUSUAL  POTTED  PLANTS 
When  it  comes  to  unusual  in  colorful  plants 
for  gifts,  or  specimens  of  the  more  common 
we  are  the  source!  Carnations,  Dianthus, 
Snapdragons,  Hardy  Asiatic  Lilies,  Caladium, 
Canna,  Calendula,  Streptocarpus,  African 
violets,  Pachystachs  (Golden  Shrimp),  Mar- 
guerittes,  and  more  more  more.  Call  for 
directions  and  map. 

MEADOWBROOK  FARM  GREENHOUSES 
1633  Wash.  La.  (887-5900) 
Meadowbrook,  PA  19046 


OUTDOOR  FURNITURE 
To  replace  or  relace 
call  the  Garden  Furniture  Specialist 
Hill  Co. 

8615  Germantown  Ave. 
247-7600 


HOUSE  FOR  RENT  June  to  Labor  Day. 
Lower  Bucks  Cty . 3 bdrm,  2 bth,  A/C.  Adults 
pref.  Furn.  Nominal  rent.  Veg.  garden.  Near 
woods,  community  pool.  357-3142. 


Specialists  in  Japanese,  city,  naturalistic  gar- 
dens, featuring  volcanic  rock,  ornamental 
pools,  waterfalls,  terraces.  Plantings  designed 
by  Landscape  Architectural  Service  Depart- 
ment, installed  by  expert  landscapemen.  J. 
Franklin  Styer  Nurseries,  Inc.,  Concordville, 
PA  19331 . Telephone  GL  9-2400. 

Orchid  hobbyists  will  enjoy  the  meetings  of 
the  Southeastern  Penna.  Orchid  Society  held 
September  through  June  on  the  second  Wed- 
nesday of  each  month  at  8 pm  in  Clothier 
Hall,  Bryn  Mawr  Hospital  nurses  home. 
Beginners  and  advanced  orchidists  will  find 
the  programs  interesting  and  informative. 
For  information  call  688-1  237. 

ARBORICULTURE 
The  Care,  Maintenance  and  Preservation 
of  Your  Trees  and  Bushes 
Natural  Pruning  is  our  Specialty 

McFarland,  inc. 

256  W.  Washington  Lane,  Phila.,  PA  19144 
438-3970 


WEST  CHESTER. 3 bedroom,  1'A  bath  house 
with  secluded  Japanese  style  garden  in  nice 
section  of  town.  Has  been  open  on  Chester 
County  Day . $63,900.  Available  immediately. 
CHADDS  FORD.  Colonial  on  2 acres  with 
12'  x 13'  Lord  & Burnham  greenhouse  off 
dining  room.  Spectacular  perennial  plantings, 
lovely  patio  and  pool.  $169,000. 

Call  L.  D.  DICKIN$ON  REALTOR  (215) 
358-3000. 

ATTENTION  FLOWER  ARRANGERS:  Im- 
ported Japanese  kenzans  (needlepoint  hold- 
ers), all  sizes.  Write  for  price  list.  Indian  Run 
Nursery,  P.O.  Box  160,  Robbinsville,  NJ 
08691.  (609)  259-2600 


UNUSUAL  RHODODENDRONS:  approxi- 
mately 50  varieties.  Nursery  is  % mile  East 
of  New  Jersey  Turnpike  Exit  7 A and  directly 
off  Exit  7 of  1-195.  Send  us  your  want  list. 
By  appointment  only.  INDIAN  RUN  NUR- 
SERY, Robbinsville,  NJ  08691.  Telephone 
(609)  259-2600. 


25,000  slides  of  plants  and  garden  scenes 
available  from  HARPER  HORTICULTUR- 
AL SLIDE  LIBRARY,  219  Robanna  Shores, 
Seaford,  Va.  23696.  Duplicates  sold.  Lecture 
programs  on  perennials,  ground  covers,  bulbs, 
vines,  shrubs,  etc.  Catalog  $1  .00. 

INSTANT  COLOR 

For  your  instant  colorful  garden  and  patio 
we  have  grown  supersize  annuals  in  3 in.  & 
4 in.  pots— Marigolds,  Petunias,  dwarf  Snap- 
dragons, Dianthus,  Magic  Charms  and  many 
more  . Call  for  directions  and  map. 
MEADOWBROOK  FARM  GREENHOUSES 
1633  Wash.  La.  (887-5900) 
Meadowbrook,  PA  1 9046 


HENRY  FOUNDATION  FOR 
BOTANICAL  RESEARCH 
801  Stony  Lane,  Gladwyne,  PA  — 525-2037 
A botanical  garden  with  emphasis  on  North 
American  species.  We  are  open  Tuesdays 
and  Thursdays  — 10  AM  to  4 PM  — April 
thru  October;  other  times  by  appointment. 


IT  ISN'T  EASY  BEING  GREEN  unless  you 
have  a QED  residential  Lord  and  Burnham 
greenhouse  added  to  your  digs.  We  design, 
erect,  and  equip  to  satisfy  your  rules  of  green 
thumb.  Grow  anything  green  year-round 
(except  perhaps  frogs).  QED,  INC.— offering 
expected  amenities  to  the  Philadelphia  Main 
Line  and  Chestnut  Hill.  688-1  514;  P.O.  Box 
161,  Villanova,  PA  19085. 

IVY  GERANIUMS 

We  have  them!  The  biggest  and  best  varieties 
available.  Singles,  doubles,  miniatures.  All 
colors!  Call  for  directions  and  map. 
MEADOWBROOK  FARM  GREENHOUSES 
1633  Wash.  La.  (887-5900) 
Meadowbrook,  PA  19046 

ANYTHING  GROES  GREENHOUSE 
Home  of  the  Horticultural  "Pipe  Dream." 
Grow  vegetables  on  your  porch,  balcony, 
rooftop  or  concrete  backyard. 

Welsh  & McKean  Roads 
Spring  House,  Pa.  19477 
Phone  (215)  542-9343 

A wide  selection  of  ornamental  conifers  is 
being  grown  at  CHROME  RUN  NURSERY, 
350  Howarth  Rd.,  Media,  Pa.  19063.  True 
dwarf  and  slow-growing  varieties  as  well  as 
more  vigorous  tree  forms  are  available  in 
containers  or  as  field  grown  specimens.  Write 
for  free  catalog  or  contact  Jared  Berd  (215) 
LO  6-1827. 


PLANTS:  HERBS  AND  UNCOMMON 
VEGETABLE  VARIETIES,  CULINARY 
LANDSCAPES 

Paul  Tsakos,  Overbrook  Herb  Farm,  2213 
Bethel  Rd.,  Lansdale,  PA  19446.699-7628. 

LORD  & BURNHAM  GREENHOUSES  are 
now  available  in  Thermopane.  The  finest 
greenhouse  made  is  now  energy  efficient. 
There  are  still  1 73  models  available  and  each 
can  be  custom  designed  to  fit  your  needs. 
For  expert  advice  on  the  selection,  construc- 
tion and  operation  of  your  greenhouse,  call 
Lord  & Burnham's  agent,  Robert  La  Rouche 
at  Newtown  Gardens,  3910  West  Chester 
Pike,  Newtown  Square,  Pa.  1 9073. Tel.  (215) 
353-6121. 


GERANIUM  FEVER? 

We  can  cure  it!  With  beautiful  Martha  Wash 
ingtons.  Ivy  geraniums,  Velma  Cox  Quadra- 
color,  Green/white  variegated,  large  zonal, 
specimen  zonal  in  all  popular  colors.  We  also 
have  Standard  Geranium  Trees!  Call  for 
directions. 

MEADOWBROOK  FARM  GREENHOUSES 
1633  Wash.  La.  (887-5900) 
Meadowbrook,  PA  19046 


SNIPES  FARM  & NURSERY 
Founded  in  1 767 
Rt.  1,  Morrisville,  PA  19067 
215-295-1 138 

A complete  garden  center,  retail  and  land- 
scape nursery  and  florist  shop. 

Ideas  abound  in  3 acres  of  display  gardens 
containing  the  Delaware  Valley's  most  exten- 
sive sales  collection  of  conifers,  flowering 
trees  and  shrubs,  rhododendron  and  azaleas, 
hollies,  perennials  and  wildflowers. 

Our  greenhouses  hold  a wide  variety  of 
interior  greenery,  pottery,  baskets  and  gift 
items. 

Custom  landscape  design  and  installation  is 
of  the  highest  quality. 

Horticulturists  enjoy  coming  to  Snipes! 

Come  see  us  often! 


Rose  Valley  Nurseries  offers  a full  line  of 
Annual  and  Perennial  Herbaceous  Plants 
together  with  a wide  range  of  unusual  trees 
and  shrubs.  Please  come  and  and  browse. 
684  S.  New  Middletown  Rd.,  Media,  PA. 
Phone:  (215)  872-7206. 


DWARF  EVERGREENS,  UNCOMMON 
TREES.  Please  send  a stamp  or  two  for  our 
lists.  DILATUSH  NURSERY,  780  Rte  130, 
Robbinsville,  NJ  08691  (609-585-5387). 

Visitors  welcome.  Displays  labeled.  Browsing 
encouraged . 


A perfect  place  for  flowering  in  the  Chest- 
nut Hill/Mt.  Airy  area.  English  Tudor  build- 
ing built  in  1 930's  has  2 attached  greenhouses, 
ample  parking,  slate  roof,  leaded  windows,  2 
refrigerated  rooms,  showroom,  workroom 
and  2nd  fl.  efficiency  apt.  Call  for  more 
details.  $1 15,000.00.  EMLEN  & CO.,  Hunt- 
ingdon Valley,  Pa.  947-681  0. 


HANGING  GARDENS 
You  saw  us  at  the  Flower  Show.  We  have 
the  extraordinary  when  it  comes  to  hanging 
baskets— Verbena,  Lantana,  Petunia,  Fuchsia, 
Ivy  Geranium,  Browallia,  Impatiens— and 
our  hanging  gardens  are  something  else,  they 
form  a solid  ball  of  color  and  are  irresistible 
— Margueritte daisies,  Dianthus,  Coleus,  Ager- 
atum.  Snap  Floral  Carpet  and  others.  Call 
for  directions  and  map. 

MEADOWBROOK  FARM  GREENHOUSES 
1633  Wash.  La.  (887-5900) 
Meadowbrook,  PA  19046 

TAGUE  GARDENING  SERVICE 
Quality  Planting 
Design  & Maintenance 
We  CARE  for  your  garden. 

Call  Doug  Tague  at  843-4405 

Expert  at  revising  gardens  overgrown,  poor 
selection  of  original  plants,  out  of  scale,  mis- 


shapen, lacking  form,  line,  color,  anticipation 
of  seasonal  change . 

I can  help  remedy  your  handicapped  mess. 
We  construct  walks,  walls,  trellises.  Our  work 
not  limited  to  Phila.  locale. 

Call  now,  not  April  or  May  for  a quote.  Win- 
ter is  no  hindrance.  Estimate  cost  applies 
to  work.  Multitude  of  plants  on  hand  means 
no  limit  by  market  or  others'  labor  situation. 
Over  44  years  my  experience  now  at  my 
zestiest  form.  Welcome  unplanted  homes  and 
commercial  work— we’re  not  grass  cutters. 
Periodic  maintenance  — hourly  rate.  Land- 
scapes welcome. 

Call  eves.  Plant  list  avail  (not  illus.). 

Eugene  Varady  — OR  6-2226  or  355-1859 
Acuba  Jap.  var.  gold,  nice  1 2"  $7.00 
Arborvitae,  pyra.  full  7 ft.  $39.00 
Azalea,  scrumptious  flowers,  early,  late,  large 
Azalea  flrd.,  new  strains,  dwarf,  some  Sat- 
suki's 4 — $20.00 

Boxwood,  Eng.  Dk.  Gn.  5 - 7"  10,  $32.50, 
16"  $35.00 

Birch,  Eur.  white  & gray  clump,  others  8' 
$32.50 

Camellia,  Jap.  Sasanqua  colors  2 ft.  (approx.) 
$9.95 

Clethra  frag,  slow,  dec  id.  1 8"  up  white  $8.00 
Crepe  myrtle  mid-late  sum.  firs., colors  $7.00 
Conifers,  dwf . 20  plus  forms  4-18"  $4.00- 
$10.00 

Cherry,  Jap.  dbl.  pnk.,  few  2"  10',  $59.00, 
7',  $27.00 

Cherry  Weep  2 -2%  dbl.  bushy  $75.00  others 
Cedar,  blue  Atlas  4 ft.  $29.00  others 
Dogwood,  pink  4%  ft.  $28.50  others  inch 
white  8 - 1 0 ft.  $59.00 
Dogwood,  Jap.  Few  sizes  & pat.  var.  inquire 
Hemlock,  Can. 614  ft.  $39.00  30"  light  $1  2.00 
Holly,  aquipernyi  to  4 ft.,  Eng.  to  4 ft. 
$32.00 

Holly,  Ch in . (Burford)  4 ft.  $19.00;  N.  Stev- 
ens 4 ft.  $35.00 

Holly,  Chin,  dwarf  a treat  24”  $1 1 .75,  others 
Holly  Chin,  rotunda  (mound)  15"  $11.75; 

Lydia  Morris  small  plants 
Jap.  andromeda  15"  light  $6.50,  24"  full 
$12.95 

Magnolia,  saucer  4-8'  $1  7.50  - $40.00 
Magnolia,  Everg.  30"  $12.95,  5 ft.  slender 
$28.50 

Maple,  Jap.  red  4-5  ft.  $75.00,  bushy  24-30" 
$29.00 

Maple,  Jap.  red  cut  leaf  12"  $15.00  others 
Nandina,  almost  everg.  fall  fol.  red  1 5”  $6.50 
Pine,  J.  blk.,  3'A  ft.  bushy  $16,  24"  $1  2.00 
Pines,  Swiss  stone,  white,  mugho,  'Oculus- 
draconis' 

Plum,  red  leaf,  fast  grow  7-8'  $39.00 
Perennials  pots  or  clumps  ever  60  diff.  $1 .50 
-$2.50 

Perennials  many  seedlings,  divisions,  cuttings, 
hybrids 

Pyracantha,  red-orang.  berry  size  pots  $9.50 
Rhodo.  few  ea.  wide  assort,  dwf.  Ivd.,  giant 
flrd.,  large  leaved,  lots  young,  bloom  sizes 
$4.75  up 

Roses  some  miniatures,  climbers,  teas,  flori. 
$hade  Trees:  pin  & red  oak,  sophora,  sweet 
gum,  w.  willow,  red  maple,  Norway,  linden 
(pat.),  plane,  ash  8 ft.  (approx.)  $39.00 
Street  tree,  planted  soil,  mulch,  prune,  stake 
$110-$135  includes  J.  cherry,  pear,  red 
maple,  s.  gum,  oaks,  linden 
Annuals  we  install,  immense  selection  — treat 
yourse  If. 


35 


Advertising  copy  should  be  submitted  8 weeks  before  issue  date:  November,  January , March,  May  .July,  September.  Minimum  rate  $10.  Charges 
based  on  $3.00  per  line.  Less  10%  discount  for  two  or  more  consecutive  issues,  using  same  copy.  All  copy  should  be  accompanied  by  check 
made  out  to  PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  and  sent  to  Mary  Elizabeth  Lee,  THE  GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106. 


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subjpctet^ih  the  Delaware^Valley. 


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THE 


in  this  issue 

Getting  Back  to  the  Basics  in  Horticulture 
by  Ernesta  D.  Ballard 


HORTICULTURE  IN  THE  DELAWARE  VALLEY 


Volume  8,  Number  6 July/August  1 980 

\ 

published  by 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA 

HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY 

325  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  1 91 06 

L.  Wilbur  Zimmerman  /Chairman 
Ernesta  D.  Ballard  /President 
Jean  Byrne / Editor 

PUBLICATIONS  COMMITTEE 
Adele  G.  Greenfield /Chair 
Rubye  Beckett 
C.  Stuart  Brown 
Barbara  Hesse  Emerson 
Herbert  W.  Goodall,  Jr. 

George  M.  Harding 
Bobette  Leidner 
Dorothy  S.  Young 


Designer:  Julie  Baxendell 
Baxendell  Design  Associates 
Color  Separations:  Lincoln  Graphics,  Inc. 
Printer:  Judson  Printing 


THE  GREEN  SCENE,  (USPS  955580)  Volume 
8,  No.  6,  published  bimonthly,  January,  March, 
May,  July,  September,  November,  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  a non-profit 
membership  organization  at  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106.  Subscription.  $7.50  — 
Single  Copy:  $1.50.  Second  class  postage  paid 
at  Philadelphia,  PA  19104. 

POSTMASTER:  Send  Form  No.  3579  to  THE 
GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia, PA  19106. 

©Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society,  1980 


4 Our  Friend  the  Sun  by  George  H.  Manaker 

8 Landscape  Design:  An  Introduction 
by  Ed  Lindemann 

9 Landscape  Design:  Starting  from  Scratch 
by  John  Kistler 

12  Landscape  Design:  Starting  Over 

by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 

16  Getting  the  Plant  and  Getting  it  into  the  Ground 
by  Jane  Lennon 

19  City  Gardening  by  Libby  Goldstein 

23  Chemicals  for  the  Concerned  Gardener 

by  M.  M.  Brubaker 

26  Garden  Soil  by  Richard  A.  Bailey 

28  Trees  as  Part  of  Your  Gardening  Plan 
by  Jane  Pepper 

32  Tools 

33  Basic  Gardening  Books 

33  The  Plant  Finder 

34  Classified  Advertisements 

35  Index  to  July  1979  to  July  1980  Green  Scene 

Front  Sycamore 

Cover:  photo  by  L.  Hampfler 

Back  Beech 

Cover:  photo  by  L.  Hampfler 

Correction 

The  photograph  of  the  snapdragons  on  the 
cover  of  the  May  issue  was  inadvertently 
credited  to  the  author  of  the  article.  The 
photograph  was  taken  by  Jacqueline  Denning. 

the  green  scene  • july  1980 


IN  HORTICUITUR6 


by  Ernesta  D.  Ballard 


Anyone  reading  this  issue  will  be  impressed  with  the  wide  range  of  knowl- 
edge and  skills  that  underlie  horticulture.  George  Manaker  makes  us  wish 
we  knew  more  about  biology  and  botany,  and  geography.  M.  M.  Brubaker 
reminds  us  of  the  importance  of  organic  chemistry  and  common  sense, 
and  Richard  Bailey  looks  at  the  complexity  of  something  as  basic  as  soil. 


The  planners,  Ed  Lindemann,  Mary  Lou  Wolfe,  John  Kistler  and  Libby 
Goldstein,  turn  our  attention  away  from  science  and  tell  us  to  look 
before  we  plant.  Again,  the  range  is  wide.  We  are  urged  to  consider  every 
aspect  of  the  site:  what  are  its  limitations;  what  use  has  been  made  of  it  in 
the  past;  what  do  we  intend  to  use  it  for;  how  do  we  want  it  to  look.  The 
basics  here  are  aesthetics,  design,  construction,  soil  science  and  plant 
material. 


Finally,  we  come  to  some  topics  that  might  be  considered  the  most  basic 
of  all,  trees,  plants  and  tools.  Once  more,  there  is  an  extensive  sweep  of 
information  and  interest.  Jane  Pepper  is  dealing  in  hundreds  of  dollars  and 
scores  of  years.  In  Jane  Lennon’s  sphere,  five  dollars  is  a significant  sum 
and  three  or  four  weeks  are  long  enough  to  produce  results. 

What  it  all  adds  up  to  is  that  a horticulturist  should  never  stop  observing, 
inquiring,  trying,  teaching  and  learning.  That  is  why  horticulture  is,  as  the 
founders  of  the  Society  said,  one  of  our  “most  rational  and  pleasing 
amusements.’’ 


3 


A ball  of  hot  gases  moves  93  mil- 
lion miles  out  in  space.  It  rises  and  sets 
daily,  providing  light  and  heat  and 
making  our  weather.  For  at  least  500 
million  years  this  sun  has  been  shining. 
It  will  probably  continue  to  do  so  for 
hundreds  of  millions  of  more  years.  If 
it  vanished  from  the  sky,  total  darkness 
would  descend  upon  the  earth ; extreme 
cold  would  prevail.  Winds  and  tides 
would  cease.  All  vegetation  would  die. 
Life  would  end. 

With  the  possible  exception  of  lunar 
tides,  volcanoes,  hot  springs,  and 
atomic  energy,  the  sun  is  the  direct 
source  of  all  energy.  The  sun  provides 
the  energy  in  coal  and  oil.  Water  and 
wind  power  depend  upon  the  sun,  as 
does  all  of  our  food  energy. 

The  food  energy  is  derived  from 
photosynthesis,  the  most  important 
photochemical  process.  In  that  process 
light  energy  from  the  sun  is  stored  as  a 
sugar,  glucose,  made  from  carbon  di- 
oxide and  water  in  the  presence  of 
chlorophyll.  Occurring  only  in  certain 
cells  of  green  plants,  photosynthesis 
generates  the  food  on  which  all  life 
depends.  Oxygen  is  also  produced  in 


the  process.  The  sugar  from  photo- 
synthesis may  be  burned  directly  to 
provide  the  energy  for  life,  or  it  may 
be  transformed  into  other  carbo- 
hydrates including  starch  and  fats,  pro- 
teins, vitamins  and  other  essential  sub- 


ln  Philadelphia,  long  daylight 
hours  are  accompanied  by  brighter 
light.  That  explains  why  plants 
grow  faster  in  spring  and  sum- 
mer, with  one  day  in  June  and 
July  equaling  about  three  days  in 
January  and  February  in  terms 
of  plant  growth. 

stances  for  use  in  growth  and  develop- 
ment, or  stored.  We,  in  turn,  eat  plants 
for  the  nourishment  they  contain. 
Other  animals,  too,  eat  plants  and  store 
the  food  energy  in  their  tissues.  Thus 
the  food  energy  derived  from  eating  a 
broiled  steak  or  grass  had  its  ultimate 
source  in  the  sun. 

Other  plant  processes  require  light. 
For  example,  light  is  required  to  syn- 
thesize chlorophyll,  the  green  pigment 
in  plants.  When  grown  in  total  darkness 


leaves  will  not  be  green.  Another  pro- 
cess is  gas  exchange,  which  takes  place 
through  the  stomates.  These  pores  in 
the  leaf  are  typically  open  during  the 
day  and  closed  at  night  in  temperate 
species.  When  open,  carbon  dioxide 
and  oxygen  rapidly  diffuse  in  and  out 
of  the  leaf.  Water  vapor  lost  in  the  pro- 
cess of  transpiration  also  leaves  the 
plant  primarily  through  the  stomates. 
Light  may  influence  flower  initiation, 
development  of  other  plant  parts,  seed 
germination  and  the  onset  of  dormancy. 
It  also  influences  production  of  antho- 
cyanin,  a red  pigment;  mineral  absorp- 
tion; translocation,  leaf  drop;  direction 
of  growth  and  may  cause  sleep  move- 
ments such  as  the  bending  of  leaves  of 
the  maranta  (prayer  plant)  at  night. 

Sunlight  is  variable,  particularly  in 
amount  or  intensity,  and  in  duration 
or  length  of  daylight.  Both  aspects  in- 
fluence our  gardens.  Quality,  or  color, 
of  sunlight,  while  less  erratic,  also 
deserves  consideration. 

light  intensity 

The  intensity  of  sunlight  varies  with 
the  time  of  day,  season  of  the  year. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


illustrations  by  Anthony  Hillman 


latitude,  altitude,  topography,  and 
amount  of  water  vapor,  dust  and  smoke 
in  the  air.  It  is  usually  measured  in  foot- 
candles  (fc).  Light  intensity  increases 
from  sunrise  to  midday  and  gradually 
decreases  toward  sunset,  and  may 
reach  as  high  as  10,000  fc  on  a sunny, 
summer  day  in  Philadelphia.  It  is  high- 
est in  summer,  moderate  in  spring  and 
fall,  and  lowest  in  winter  when  it  may 
be  less  than  500  fc  if  the  day  is  overcast. 
In  the  average  lighted  home,  light 
intensities  range  from  1 5 fc  for  dining 
to  30  fc  for  reading,  100  fc  for  sewing, 
and  rarely  exceed  300  fc. 

Intensity  is  highest  at  the  equator 
and  decreases  toward  the  poles.  At  the 
equator,  the  sun's  rays  strike  the  earth 
at  a very  high  angle,  while  at  latitudes 
north  or  south,  they  strike  the  earth  at 
an  oblique  angle  and  are  filtered  by  a 
greater  depth  of  atmosphere.  The 
higher  the  altitude,  the  more  intense 
the  radiation.  Local  topography  also 
affects  the  intensity  of  sunlight  with 
north-facing  slopes  having  lower  light, 
and  colder  temperature,  than  a south- 
facing hill  which  will  be  hot  and  may 
be  droughty.  Vegetation  may  vary  in 
the  two  areas  and  is  particularly  drama- 
tic when  ascending  high  mountains 
such  as  the  Rockies.  Differences  may 
be  observed,  however,  even  where  a 
road  has  been  cut  through  a modest 
hill.  Every  day,  I pass  through  such  an  . 
area.  Although  many  of  the  plants  are 
the  same  on  both  sides  of  the  road, 
growth  on  the  south-facing  slope 
resumes  earlier  each  spring.  Crown 
vetch  is  extensive.  The  north  slope  has 
considerable  shade  with  little  crown 
vetch.  Snow  also  melts  faster  on  the 
warmer,  south-facing  slope.  Light 
intensity  will  also  be  reduced  at  times 
when  water  vapor  (clouds),  dust, 
smoke,  and  other  pollutants  are  high. 

How  does  light  intensity  affect 
plants?  For  every  kind  of  plant,  there 
is  an  optimal  range  of  light  intensities. 
Within  that  range,  if  other  factors  are 
favorable,  the  rate  of  photosynthesis 
will  be  high  and  respiration  (food  utili- 
zation) will  be  moderate.  Thus,  abun- 
dant food  is  available  for  plant  growth. 
The  specific  range  varies  with  the  plant. 
Shade  plants  such  as  ferns,  impatiens 
and  foliage  plants  require  low  light, 
while  roses,  tomatoes,  chrysanthemums 
and  most  annuals  grow  best  in  full  sun. 
Abelia,  barberry,  boxwood,  dogwood, 


and  forsythia  grow  in  a wide  range  of 
light  intensities. 

When  light  intensity  is  below  the 
adequate  range,  there  is  less  photosyn- 
thesis, and,  if  respiration  continues  at 
a moderate  rate,  there  will  be  little  or 
no  excess  food  for  growth  and  devel- 
opment. Thus,  most  plants  grow  poorly 
in  low  light.  That  explains  why  plants 
grow  slowly  indoors  in  winter;  leaves 
drop  from  foliage  plants  moved  directly 
indoors  from  outdoors;  adequate  spac- 
ing of  plants  is  necessary;  and  hedges 
should  be  wider  at  the  bottom  than  at 
the  top.  In  dense  forests,  many  her- 
baceous plants  complete  their  life  cycle 
before  leaves  appear  on  trees.  Few 
understory  plants  grow  in  dense  woods 
because  of  low  light.  Symptoms  of  low 
light  injury  include  lack  of  vigor;  weak, 
elongated  stems;  small  leaves;  yellow- 
ing or  fading  leaves  and  discolored 
flowers;  leaf  and  bud  drop.  Plants  may 
prematurely  die.  On  plants  adapted  to 
low  light,  leaves  are  usually  broader, 
thinner  and  greener  than  those  in  the 
sun,  even  on  the  same  plant. 

Light  intensities  above  the  optimal 
range  may  be  excessive  and  cause  injury. 
A single  leaf  may  not  use  more  than 
1200  fc,  but  because  of  shading,  the 
entire  plant  responds  to  brighter  light. 
Light  intensities  beyond  4000-5000  fc 
do  not  usually  increase  photosynthesis 
because  some  other  factor,  probably 
C02,  becomes  limiting.  In  high  light, 
chlorophyll  may  be  irreversibly 
destroyed,  producing  yellow-green 
leaves  that  may  appear  scorched. 
Photosynthesis  is  reduced  due  to  leaf 
injury  and  increased  leaf  temperature. 


Also,  as  leaves  warm  up,  transpiration 
(water  vapor  loss)  increases,  and  the 
stomates  close.  Carbon  dioxide  is  not 
available  and  food  making  is  reduced. 
High  temperatures  associated  with 
bright  sunlight  may  inactivate  the 
enzyme  systems  changing  starch  to 
sugar.  Sugars  accumulate  in  the  food 
making  cells  causing  a further  decline 
in  the  rate  of  photosynthesis.  For  these 
reasons,  greenhouses  are  shaded  in 
summer  and  many  ornamentals  must 
be  given  shade. 

duration  of  light:  what  happens 
in  long  days  and  short  days 

Everyone  is  aware  of  the  seasonal 
variation  in  length  of  daylight.  At  the 
spring  and  fall  equinox,  March  20  and 
September  20,  respectively,  the  sun  is 
directly  over  the  equator,  and  there 
are  1 2 hours  of  light  and  1 2 hours  of 
dark  everywhere  on  the  earth.  As 
autumn  proceeds,  the  sun  moves  south, 
and,  in  the  Northern  hemisphere, 
December  20,  has  the  shortest  light 
and  longest  dark  period.  On  June  20, 
the  sun  is  farthest  north  and  the 
Northern  hemisphere  experiences  the 
longest  light  and  shortest  dark  day  of 
the  year.  For  the  earth  as  a whole  the 
light  period  ranges  from  0-24  hours. 
At  40"  (Philadelphia),  there  are  9.3 
hours  of  light  and  14.7  hours  of  dark 
on  December  20,  which  gradually  in- 
creases to  1 5 hours  of  light  and  9 hours 
of  dark  on  June  20,  before  it  again 
begins  a decline. 

How  does  length  of  daylight  affect 
our  gardens?  First,  the  relative  amount 
of  food  made  by  plants  in  long  daylight 
periods  is  greater  than  in  short.  With 
more  food,  and  moderate  respiration, 
more  growth  and  development  are  pos- 
sible. Bear  in  mind,  too,  that  in  Phila- 
delphia, long  daylight  hours  are 
accompanied  by  brighter  light.  That 
explains  why  plants  grow  faster  in 
spring  and  summer,  with  one  day  in 
June  and  July  equalling  about  three 
days  in  January  and  February  in  terms 
of  plant  growth.  People  who  force 
plants  for  the  Flower  & Garden  Show 
must  keep  this  in  mind. 

Flower  bud  initiation  in  many  crops 
is  also  a response  to  light  period.  Short- 
day  plants  flower  when  the  light  per- 
iod is  less  than  a certain  number  of 
hours;  the  required  light  period  varies 
with  the  plant.  Long-day  plants  must 

continued 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


09  it 

Fit nxo 

the 

S9  continued 


have  more  than  a certain  number  of 
hours  of  light  each  day,  while  indeter- 
minate-day plants  are  not  influenced 
by  day  length,  and  will  flower  year- 
round.  The  terms  "short  day"  and 
"long  day"  used  in  referring  to  the 
flowering  responses  of  plants  are  mis- 
nomers, for  it  is  the  length  of  the  un- 
interrupted dark  (night)  period  that 
induces  the  response.  Short-day  plants 
are  really  long-night  plants. 

Day  length  considerations  are  im- 
portant in  gardening.  Radishes,  lettuce, 
and  spinach  are  long-day  plants.  Seed 
must  be  sown  early  in  the  spring  or 
late  in  the  summer  to  produce  a crop. 
Many  of  our  summer  flowering  annuals 
including  calendula,  aster,  petunia, 
marigold  and  rudbeckia  are  also  long- 
day  plants.  Woody  ornamentals  also 
respond  to  day  length;  abelia  is  a long- 
day  plant,  for  example.  Poinsettias, 
chrysanthemums,  cosmos,  and  June- 
bearing  strawberries  are  short-day 
plants.  For  outdoor  culture,  mum  culti- 
vars  must  be  selected  that  will  bloom 
before  the  first  freeze.  Tomatoes,  pep- 
pers, african  violets,  and  everbearing 
strawberries  will  flower  under  any  day 
length. 

Development  of  other  plant  parts 
may  also  be  controlled  by  day  length. 
Formation  of  bulbs  on  American-type 
onions  is  a long-day  response,  while 
for  Bermuda  types,  it  is  short -day.  We 
must  plant  varieties  such  as  Globe  and 
Sweet  Spanish  in  our  gardens  in  order 
to  assure  an  onion  crop.  Tuberization 
of  white  potatoes  and  certain  dahlias 


is  a short-day  response  with  harvest  of 
these  storage  organs  late  in  the  season. 

Production  of  plantlets  along  the 
leaf  margins  of  kalanchoe  is  a long-day 
response.  Spidering  in  variegated  Chloro 
phytum  is  short -day  while  in  green- 
leaved forms  it's  long-day.  Runner  pro- 
duction in  Saxifraga  and  strawberry 
and  tillering  in  grasses  are  long-day 
responses.  Plantlet  production  in  Tol- 
meia,  the  piggy-back  plant,  is  not 
influenced  by  day  length. 

Day  length  also  influences  the  initi- 
ation of  the  rest  (dormant)  period  in 
temperate  plants.  With  the  onset  of 
short  days  the  terminal  bud  develops 
and  growth  ceases.  Physiological 
changes  occur  within  the  plants  enabl- 
ing them  to  withstand  colder  temper- 
atures. In  deciduous  plants,  leaf  abscis- 
sion is  delayed  in  long  days. 

Natural  day  length  has  influenced 
plant  distribution.  Long-day  plants  are 
found  only  in  northern  and  southern 
latitudes.  Short-day  plants  are  usually 
limited  to  tropical  and  subtropical 
regions  because  cold  temperatures 
during  short  days  in  higher  latitudes 
would  kill  the  plants  before  flowering 
was  possible. 

sun's  radiation 

Many  things  happen  to  the  sun's 
radiation  as  it  crosses  the  atmosphere. 
The  light  reaching  the  earth  is  white 
light  consisting  of  wave  lengths  ranging 
from  far  ultraviolet  through  the  visible 
spectrum  and  into  infrared.  Fortunate- 
ly, the  ozone  layer  absorbs  most  of  the 


ultraviolet  in  sunlight.  Ultraviolet  light 
destroys  proteins,  an  essential  com- 
ponent of  protoplasm,  and  the  basis  of 
all  enzymes.  Without  proteins,  life 
would  not  be  possible.  Thus  the  con- 
cern today  about  the  destruction  of 
the  ozone  layer.  Oxygen,  carbon  di- 
oxide, and  water  vapor  absorb  some  of 
the  red  and  infrared  (heat)  light.  Con- 
siderable blue  light  is  scattered,  so  the 
sky  appears  blue.  There  is  some  season- 
al variation  in  atmospheric  absorption. 

Of  the  light  energy  absorbed  by 
plants  and  soil,  some  is  conducted  into 
the  ground  as  heat,  a large  part  evapor- 
ates water,  a small  amount  is  convected 
to  warm  the  air,  and  a small  part,  per- 
haps 1-2%,  is  used  by  plants  in  photo- 
chemical processes,  especially  photo- 
synthesis. Visible  light  is  most  impor- 
tant for  plant  growth  and  development. 

Visible  light  consists  of  the  rainbow 
of  colors  ranging  from  violet  and  blue 
in  the  short-wave  lengths  to  red  and 
far-red  in  the  long-wave.  Red  and  blue 
light  are  the  primary  colors  absorbed 
by  plants  although  yellow  and  green 
are  also  physiologically  active.  A con- 
siderable amount  of  green  light  is  re- 
flected; hence,  plants  appear  green. 

Photosynthesis  and  chlorophyll 
synthesis  require  red  light.  Seed  germi- 
nation, onset  of  dormancy,  and 
responses  to  day  length  are  controlled 
by  red-far-red  light.  Red  light  promotes 
stem  elongation,  and  production  of 
anthocyanin,  red  pigment,  in  coleus 
and  zebrina  leaves  and  apple  skins,  is 
enhanced  by  bright,  red  light.  In  shade. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


these  colors  are  faded. 

Blue  light  is  used  in  photosynthesis 
and  chlorophyll  synthesis.  Phototrop- 
ism,  the  bending  of  stems  toward  the 
light,  is  a blue-light  response.  Potted 
plants  on  windowsills  must  be  turned 
frequently  to  make  them  grow  straight. 
Plants  in  garden  and  greenhouse  “lean" 
toward  the  sun. 

In  addition  to  light,  plants  are  also 
exposed  to  other  radiation,  especially 
the  very  short-waves  called  ionization 
radiation,  which  includes  cosmic  rays, 
and  radioactive  carbon,  and  potassium, 
radium  and  uranium  plus  x-rays  and 
gamma  rays.  Such  radiation  may  be 
mutagenic,  and  has  been  used  advan- 
tageously by  plant  breeders.  (See 
“New  Plants  from  Radiation,"  by  Ran- 
dall P.  Niedz,  Green  Scene,  November 
1979.) 

Solar  radiation  produces  heat,  and 


changes  in  temperature  affect  every 
plant  process.  Increased  temperatures 
directly  affect  the  rates  of  photosyn- 
thesis, respiration,  transpiration  and 
other  plant  processes,  within  certain 
limits.  Temperatures  above  90-95°F 
are  detrimental  to  plant  cells  and 
injury  or  death  may  occur  if  the  plant 
is  exposed  to  higher  levels.  Water  stress 
is  particularly  significant  at  high 
temperatures. 

Winter  burn  of  certain  broad-leaved 
evergreens  illustrates  well  the  effect  of 
heat  injury.  On  a cold,  bright  winter 
day,  sunlight  warms  the  leaves  of 
rhododendron  or  other  genera.  Sto- 
mates  in  the  leaves  open,  and  water 
evaporates  at  a rapid  rate.  The  soil 
water  is  frozen  and  cannot  be  absorbed 
by  roots  to  replace  that  lost  by  the 
leaves.  Thus,  leaf  tissue  dehydrates  and 
dies.  Typical  scorch  symptoms  appear. 


Burlap  screens  prevent  temperature 
fluctuation  and  eliminate  the  problem. 

From  this  brief  discussion,  it  should 
be  obvious  that  the  sun  exerts  profound 
influences  onourgardensand  ourselves. 
More  than  ever,  we  must  learn  to  capi- 
talize on  the  benefits  it  provides.  It  is 
truly  a friend  upon  which  we  all  depend. 

Additional  reading: 

Bienz,  D.  R.  The  Why  and  How  of  Home 
Horticulture,  W.  H.  Freeman  and  Com- 
pany, San  Francisco,  1 980. 

Menzel,  Donald  H.  Our  Sun,  The  Blakiston 
Company,  Philadelphia,  1949. 
van  der  Veen,  R.  and  G.  Meijer.  Light  and 
Plant  Growth,  Philips'  Technical  Library, 
Eindhoven,  The  Netherlands,  1959. 


George  Manaker  is  chairman  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Plorticulture  and  Landscape  Design 
at  Temple  University,  Ambler  Campus.  His 
book  on  maintaining  interior  landscapes  will 
be  published  by  Prentice  Hall  in  January  1981 


LIGHT  DURATION:  HOW  IT  AFFECTS  PLANTS 


SHORT  DAY 


PLANTS  NOT  INFLUENCED  BY 
DAY  LENGTH 


LONG  DAY 


Responses 

Responses 

Examples 

Responses 

Fosters  dormancy 

Terminal  buds  develop 

tomatoes 

Increases  amount  of 

Growth  ceases 

Flowering 

peppers 

food  made  by  plants 

Plants  can  withstand  cold 

african  violets 

Delays  onset  of 

Plantlet  production 

Tolmiea 

dormancy 

Short-Day  Plant 

Long-Day  Plant 

Examples 

Examples 

poinsettias 

radishes 

Flowering 

chrysanthemums 

lettuce 

cosmos 

spinach 

Bulb  formation 

bermuda  onions 

Flowering 

calendula 

T uberization 

white  potatoes 
certain  dahlias 

aster 

petunia 

rudbeckia 

Offsets  or  spidering 

variegated  chlorophytum 

abelia 

Bulb  formation 

American  type  onions 

Plantlets  production 

Leaf  margins  of  kalanchoe 

Spidering 

Green-leaved  chlorophytum 

Runner  production 

saxifraga  and  strawberry 

Low  Intensity 

Examples  of  plants  that  do  well 

ferns 

impatiens 

foliage  plants 


Symptoms  of  too  low  intensity 

lack  of  vigor 
weak  elongated  stems 
small  leaves 

yellowing  or  fading  leaves 
leaf  and  bud  drop 


LIGHT  INTENSITY:  HOW  IT  AFFECTS  PLANTS 

High  Intensity 

Examples  of  plants  that  do  well 

tomatoes 

roses 

chrysanthemums 


A Range  of  Light  Intensities 

Examples  of  plants  that  do  well 


abelia 

barberry 

boxwood 

dogwood 

forsythia 


Symptoms  of  too  high  intensity 

chlorophyll  destroyed 

leaves  yellow  — appear  scorched 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


BACK TO 


Landscape  Design: 

an  introduction  and  two  perspectives,  starting  from 
scratch  and  starting  over. 


@by  Ed 

A landscape  is  essentially  that  por- 
tion of  the  land  that  the  eye  can  see  at 
a glance.  As  we  move  our  eyes,  our  line 
of  vision  changes  constantly,  so  too 
does  the  landscape.  Any  design  is  the 
arrangement  of  elements.  In  a land- 
scape design  there  are  two  varieties  of 
elements.  First,  the  basic  elements  of 
design:  line,  shape,  texture,  size,  mass 
and  color.  Second,  living  plants  and 
non-living  architectural  features.  Plants 
complicate  a landscape  design  because 
they  have  specific  cultural  requirements 
to  keep  them  alive,  and  they  change 
appearance  and  shape  with  the  seasons 
and  age.  In  a landscape  design  we  must 
connect  line,  shape,  texture,  size,  mass 
and  color  to  the  landscape  elements 
and  arrive  at  a practical  arrangement 
for  function  and  enjoyment.  A success- 
ful landscape  is  the  result  of  a success- 
ful design. 

When  planning  it  is  important  to 
understand  the  elements  of  design. 

Line  is  the  area  of  direction  between 
two  points  either  curved  or  straight. 

Shape  is  the  area  enclosed  within  a 
line  or  series  of  lines. 

Texture  is  an  important  element 
because  it  satisfies  both  sight  and 
touch.  We  absorb  the  surface  quality 
or  texture  of  an  item. 

Size  refers  to  the  area  in  which  a 
design  functions.  Size  is  also  synony- 
mous with  scale  or  the  relation  of  one 
part  of  the  design  to  another. 

Mass  is  simply  the  three  dimensional 
counterpart  of  shape. 

Color  is  not  essential  to  a design 
since  it  is  possible  to  have  an  excellent 
design  composed  of  only  black  and 
white  elements;  however,  in  a landscape 
color  is  always  present  and  therefore 
tends  to  be  extremely  important.  I 
find  that  there  are  two  groups  of  people 
when  it  comes  to  working  with  color, 
those  who  are  at  ease  and  use  it  suc- 


Lindemann 

cessfully  and  those  who  are  apprehen- 
sive and  who  lack  good  color  sense.  If 
you  tend  to  have  a problem  working 
with  color,  I suggest  that  you  start  with 
monochromatic  color  schemes  using 
varied  tones  and  shades  of  one  color.  It 
is  almost  impossible  to  make  a mistake 
with  a monochromatic  color  scheme. 

Look  at  a garden  with  a designer's 
eye,  relating  its  components  to  line, 
texture,  mass  and  so  on.  Using  these 
design  elements  decide  what  you  like 
and  dislike  and  determine  why.  You 
will  find  that  you  will  become  more 
critical,  and  at  the  same  time  more 
appreciative,  and  therefore  as  a result 
have  a better  plan.  Start  by  making  a 
basic  plan  of  the  property  or  area  to 
be  worked  on.  Work  with  the  larger 
areas  first.  Think  of  plants  in  terms  of 
mass,  size,  and  texture  rather  than 
specific  species  or  cultivars.  Decide 
what  you  like  and  what  you  want  to 
keep,  what  you  want  to  relocate,  what 
you  want  to  remove  and  what  you 
want  to  add.  The  last  thing  to  do  is  to 
choose  the  exact  varieties  of  plants. 
Let  the  choice  of  plant  derive  from  the 
design.  Combine  the  eye  of  a designer 
with  the  know-how  of  the  plant  special- 
ist to  create  a practical  arrangement  of 
plant  and  architectural  elements  for 
human  use  and  enjoyment.  Following 
this  article  are  two  approaches  to 
design  needs.  One,  by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe, 
deals  with  what  you  do  with  redesign- 
ing an  established  garden  and  John 
Kistler  provides  several  solutions  for 
starting  from  scratch. 

The  late  Thomas  Church  summed  it 
up  when  he  said,  "The  only  limit  to 
your  garden  is  the  boundaries  of  your 
imagination." 

Ed  Lindemann  is  the  designer  for  the  Phila- 
delphia Flower  & Garden  Show. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photos  supplied  by  author 


Landscape  Design 


When  planning  a property  from 
scratch,  the  main  goal  of  the  landscape 
architect  is  to  use  the  land  to  best  suit 
human  purposes.  Consequently  a good 
landscape  architect  ascertains  the 
client's  needs,  particularly  in  relation- 
shop  to  his  life  style.  Ardent  golfers, 
who  do  not  plan  to  hire  a full-time 
gardener  for  example,  certainly  do  not 
want  a formal  garden.  Indeed,  a large 
lawn  might  be  nice  for  practice  putting, 
but  who  is  to  maintain  it?  Perhaps  large 
drifts  of  groundcovers  and  some  shrub 
borders  are  the  solution  so  that  all  of 
the  golfers'  spare  time  can  be  spent  on 


the  golf  course. 

After  the  needs  are  discussed,  the 
landscape  architect  studies  the  property 
to  determine  which  areas  can  be  desig- 
nated for  which  specific  use.  He  then 
creates  a general  plan  to  be  followed 
by  detailed  plans.  The  entrance  to  the 
house,  which  is  semi-public,  should  be 
on  immediate  view.  Because  this  area 
is  not  really  private,  it  should  be  neat 
and  require  the  least  maintenance, 
being  the  least  used  by  the  owners. 
Next,  areas  for  recreation,  passive  or 
active,  should  be  set  out  with  privacy 
in  mind.  Then  it's  time  to  work  out 


the  details. 

The  landscape  architect  works  to 
enhance  the  architecture,  which  he 
often  considers  an  encroachment  on 
nature.  Plantings  soften  the  vertical 
lines  and  divert  attention  from  monoto- 
nous sharp  angles  or  harsh  corners. 
Plants  should  be  used  with  restraint 
and  should  not  hide  the  building  or  its 
windows.  One  shrub,  preferably  an 
evergreen  that  will  not  grow  out  of 
bounds  or  that  can  be  easily  sheared  to 
maintain  its  desired  size,  is  usually 
enough  for  each  corner.  The  plants 
soften  the  flow  of  the  vertical  building 

continued 


G.  Evans,  Baederwood,  Pa. 

This  was  a sloping  unusable  back  yard  with  handsome  dogwood  lost  in  the  bushes.  Excess  shrubs  were  removed.  The  slope  was  graded  into 
two  levels  with  a retaining  wall  between,  creating  a terrace  by  the  house  and  a usable  level  above. 


9 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


landscape  Design:  continued 


line  to  the  abrupt  meeting  of  the  hori- 
zontal line  of  the  ground.  (See  illustra- 
tions 1 and  2.) 

Low  growing  or  espaliered  shrubs 
can  relieve  the  monotony  of  walls,  or 
at  least  divert  attention  from  them. 
They  are  also  good  for  under  windows 
for  the  same  reason,  but  the  plants 
should  not  grow  taller  than  the  bottom 
of  the  windows. 

Attention  should  be  called  to  impor- 
tant features  such  as  the  entrance, 
framing  with  a pair  of  plants  or  a bal- 
anced planting  of  specimen  plants  that 
will  remain,  or  can  be  kept,  in  bounds. 

Plants  can  also  divert  attention  from 
undesirable  architectural  features.  (See 
illustrations  3 and  4.) 

Location  governs  which  plants  are 
used.  Some  rules  of  thumb  are: 

• In  full  sun:  hybrid  rhododendron, 
juniper,  yew,  ilex,  Korean  boxwood 
and  dwarf  conifers. 

• In  shade  (north  side):  native  rhodo- 
dendron, kalmia,  azalea,  yew,  enki- 
anthus  and  English  boxwood. 

• Morning  or  afternoon  sun:  azalea, 
yew,  ilex,  pieris  and  kalmia. 

recreation  area 

Recreation  areas  might  be  passive 
or  active.  Sitting  areas,  in  most  cases, 
should  be  level  and  shade  should  be 
available  for  at  least  the  second  half  of 
the  day.  Shade  is  provided  by  trees, 
those  natural  air  conditioners,  arbors  or 
the  lee  of  buildings.  Ideally  some  beds 
for  flower  gardening  or  space  for  con- 
tainer plants  would  enhance  the  area. 

Active  recreation,  whether  it  is 
swimming,  tennis  or  gardening  requires 
a level  space.  The  level  space  can  be 
obtained  by  grading  and/or  terracing. 


D.  Campbell,  Chevy  Chase,  Md.  ► 
Corners  are  softened  with  hollies. 
Espaliered  cotoneasters  and  pear 
trees  add  interest  to  walls.  Formal 
plants  in  lead  containers  accent 
front  door. 


While  the  difference  in  the  height  of 
the  various  levels  may  be  treated  with 
a bank,  retaining  walls  take  up  less 
space,  eliminate  maintenance,  add  sit- 
ting space  and  are  an  attractive  feature. 
(See  illustrations  5 through  9.) 

Only  after  the  general  or  overall  plan 
is  established  is  it  time  to  start  the  de- 
tailed plans,  such  as  a grading  plan,  a 
construction  plan  and  a planting  plan. 
The  planting  plan  shows  the  appropri- 


ate plant  materials  to  help  embellish 
the  areas  and  to  satisfy  the  owner's 
personal  desires.  With  an  established 
general  plan  and  detail  plan  each  area 
can  be  done  as  convenient  or  as  finances 
allow. 


John  Kistler  is  a practicing  landscape  archi- 
tect. He  designed  the  Philadelphia  Flower  & 
Garden  Show  for  four  years.  Kistler  is  a for- 
mer member  of  the  PHS  Council,  and  an 
avid  vegetable  gardener. 


■ ■ kifcSL, 

■ ■ § 

■■ 

■ B 

1 ■■ 

■ ■ i 

I ■■  2. 

the  green  scene  • july  1980 


B.  Winn,  Merion,  Pa. 

The  sloping  back  yard  was  regraded  into  three  levels  for  a sitting  area  next  to  the  house,  formal  show  gardens  on  the  middle  level  and  a vege- 
table garden  on  the  lowest  level  beyond  the  wisteria  and  grape  arbor. 


Thom  Mcllvaine,  West  Chester,  Pa. 

The  pool  required  cutting  into  the  back  yard  for  a level  area.  The  retaining  wall  created  an  upper  level  space  for  a flower  garden  as  well  as 
more  sitting  spaces. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


Landscape  Design 


(^)  by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 


12 


The  way  it  is  now.  The  wing  (right)  was  added  in  the  1960's.  Excavated  materials  were 
moved  out  manually  so  the  wisteria  arbor  would  not  be  disturbed. 


"Now,  all  that  boxwood  is  yours, 
Mrs.  Wolfe.  I suggest  that  if  you  go 
away  during  the  winter,  you  should 
arrange  to  have  someone  brush  off  the 
snow." 

Is  he  saying  I'll  need  a boxwood 
sitter? 

I hate  house  settlements  and  this 
one  had  been  an  uncomfortable  one. 
My  trusty  realtor  had  sent  a substitute, 
and  my  husband  was  out  of  town.  The 
keys  were  to  be  turned  over  at  the 
house  so  that  I could  be  introduced  to 
the  security  alarm  system.  The  seller 
had  also  mentioned  a "Black  Book" 
that  went  with  the  house. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  house,  I was 
so  intent  on  mastering  the  alarm  system 
that  the  seller's  last  instructions  almost 
missed  me,  but  I have  come  to  recall 
them  well:  "There  may  be  a little  water 
in  the  cellar  now  and  then;  you'll  need 
to  fiddle  with  that  drain  down  by  the 
road;  follow  the  Black  Book  on 
millipedes.” 

I couldn't  wait  for  him  to  leave 
although  I knew  there  were  questions  I 
should  be  asking.  The  March  snows 
were  melting  and  I wanted  to  really 
see  our  garden.  I glanced  quickly  in 
the  Black  Book:  appliance  guarantees, 
recommendations  for  plumbers,  water 
testing,  well  repair,  gutter  cleaning,  a 
1943  property  survey  and,  aha,  a bro- 
chure prepared  for  a historic  house 
tour  with  a diagrammatic  sketch  of  the 
garden.  Franklinia,  stewartia,  dawn 
redwood,  davidia,  laburnum  and,  of 
course,  boxwood.  I went  off,  folder 
and  sketch  in  hand,  through  the  snow. 

The  house  had  been  built  on  a 
wooded  hillside  and  was,  according  to 
the  brochure,  "One  of  seven  homes 
Quaker  Comfort  built  for  his  slaves 
when  he  freed  them  before  the  Civil 
War."  On  the  uphill  side,  a brick  ter- 
race opened  off  the  oldest  part  of  the 
house.  "Two  espalier  pear  trees  are 
against  the  wall  of  this  charming  home." 
Indeed,  there  they  were,  but  sporting 


too  much  spindly  growth,  the  newest 
held  in  place  with  dozens  of  blue 
twistems.  "You  reach  the  garden 
through  a wisteria  arbor."  Still  upright 
but  leaning  dangerously  toward  the 
house  and  crowned  by  a snarl  of 
unpruned  vines.  "The  wooded  hillside 


has  been  magnificently  civilized  with  a 
mature  boxwood  garden  beside  a giant 
cedar  of  Lebanon  tree."  I've  never  liked 
that  word  "mature"  and  in  this  case, 
"badly  overgrown"  would  have  been  a 
better  choice.  What  was  marked  on  the 
sketch  as  "rose  garden”  was  now  a six- 


The  way  it  was:  1940's 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


inch  wide  canyon  between  rows  of 
three-foot  high  boxwood,  under  con- 
siderable shade.  Overgrown  or  not,  it 
was  breathtaking.  There  were  deer 
tracks  leading  to  the  little  pool  and  a 
pheasant  squawked  up  in  the  woods.  I 
would  imagine  weddings  under  the 
ancient  lilacs.  The  brochure  concluded 
with  "David  Miller  will  play  his  bagpipes 
in  the  garden,  weather  permitting." 
Who  is  David  Miller  and  did  weather 
permit?  Anything  could  happen  in  this 
garden.  I couldn't  wait  for  Lindsay's 
return.  He's  not  a plantsperson  but  he 
has  a good  sense  of  design,  he's  strong 
and  I think  he  invented  recycling.  We 
would  need  all  our  combined  talents 
and  then  some. 

Lafayette's  escape 
and  commuter  traffic 

During  that  next  week  my  husband 
and  I made  what  have  proved  to  be 
some  sound  decisions.  The  first  of 
these  involved  abandoning  the  front 
door.  As  the  brochure  said,  "The  home 
hugs  the  hill  that  was  Lafayette's  escape 
route  in  May  of  1 778."  Now,  200  years 
later,  it  is  the  escape  route  for  a hectic 
stream  of  commuter  traffic.  It  seemed 
that  anyone  with  a zippy  car  tested  its 
cornering  capacities  on  our  road.  We 
decided  to  change  the  focus  of  the 
house  entirely  to  its  back  or  uphill  side. 
The  previous  owner  had  made  a nice 
beginning  on  this  concept.  We  contin- 
ued his  start  by  bringing  the  automobile 
parking  area  closer  to  the  back  door, 
linking  it  to  the  house  with  recycled 
materials,  flagstone  and  belgian  block 
rescued  from  our  favorite  dump.  We 
chained  off  the  old  frontdoor  entrance 
completely.  The  only  visitors  who  have 
ever  used  it  were  one  inebriated  motor- 
ist whose  car  flunked  the  cornering  test, 
and  the  movers  who  proclaimed  "This 
is  nothing  but  a damned  farmhouse!" 

They  hit  the  nail  on  the  head.  This 
house  had  been  a very  humble  farm- 
house, enlarged  and  civilized  by  sub- 


sequent owners,  but  it  was  and,  thanks 
to  its  zoning,  will  continue  to  be 
"country  living."  Inside  we  had 
uncovered  our  home's  earlier  character 
in  wide  pine  floors  under  aging  linoleum, 
a marble  fireplace  lintel  masked  by 
layers  of  black  paint.  We  merged 
kitchen  and  dining  room  and  made 


"There  may  be  a little  water  in 
the  cellar  now  and  then;  you'll 
need  to  fiddle  with  that  drain 
down  by  the  road;  follow  the 
Black  Book  on  millipedes." 


plans  to  add  a greenhouse  right  off  the 
kitchen. 

Our  life  style  is  casual.  The  work 
force,  just  we  two.  We  knew  we  had 
taken  on  quite  a garden  and  needed 
expert  advice.  Our  second  important 
decision  was  to  consult  an  arborist 
whom  we  trusted.  He  walked  the 
property  with  us  as  the  last  of  the 
snow  was  melting  and  helped  us  to 
assign  priorities.  If  he  also  saw  us  as 
long-term  contributors  to  his  children's 
education,  he  was  probably  right.  We 
are  scheduling  major  annual  tree  work 
as  a budgeted  expense.  Our  arborist 
shared  our  excitement  over  the  plant 
materials,  exclaiming  over  the  40  ft.  of 
Chinese  hemlock  hedge  and  the  well 
shaped  Sciadopitys.  We  scheduled  im- 
mediate drastic  pruning  of  the  boxwood 
and  a dormant  oil  spray  from  roadside 
to  woods  line.  Our  third  sensible  deci- 
sion was  to  see  the  garden  through  a 
complete  year's  cycle  before  making 
other  major  decisions. 

Then  came  the  snow  melt  and  April 
rains.  The  whole  hillside  draining  2.8 
acres  above  our  house  turned  into  an 
oozing,  flowing  cascade  which,  of 
course,  ended  up  in  our  basement.  "A 
little  water  in  the  cellar  now  and  then." 

I sent  an  S.O.S.  to  our  neighbors  who 
recommended  a sump  pump  and  com- 
miserated, "Too  bad  we  can't  bottle  it. 


It's  wonderful  water,  you  know."  When 
the  greenhouse  was  built,  we  added  a 
tile  drainage  system  and  sump  pump. 

A farmhouse,  yes,  but  springhouse  is 
too  much. 

As  our  diverted  hillside  water 
coursed  down  to  the  road  we  soon  dis- 
covered why  we  need  to  "fiddle  with 
that  drain  down  by  the  road."  We  also 
found  out  why  the  plantings  of  Japan- 
ese holly  bordering  the  road  look  so 
miserable.  Our  commuter  escape  route 
is  salted  intensely  in  winter;  the  easily 
clogged  drain  creates  a lagoon  and 
each  uphill  driver  drenches  our  bank 
with  salt  water.  We  contemplate  lodg- 
ing a complaint  with  the  state  highway 
department. 

Aside  from  the  drainage  traumas, 
we  were  really  enjoying  our  new  prop- 
erty. I began  a garden  diary  to  note 
blooming  dates,  bird  arrivals,  locations 
and  names  of  plants  we  were  adding. 
There  was  a steady  stream  of  blooms, 
birds  and  plants.  The  progression  of 
bloom  was  extraordinary  and  obviously 
had  been  planned  with  great  skill  and 
style.  Hyacinths  under  the  espalier 
pears  led  the  entries  and  as  month  after 
month  went  by,  I recorded  the  se- 
quence. House  wrens  arrived  on  April 
10th  to  take  over  their  house.  The 
Cornus  kousa  lasted  through  June  and 
then  the  bank  of  dwarf  horse  chestnut 
(Aesculus  hippocastanum)  took  over. 
A large  entry  fills  the  page  for  July  8, 
1978:  Millipedes  on  the  porch!  We  had 
forgotten.  Quick,  the  Black  Book! 
"Suggested  garden  care:  only  1 must  — 
for  millipedes.  See  separate  sheet."  This 
is  a directive  from  the  Penn  State  Agri- 
cultural Extension  Service  and  says: 
"Millipedes  are  those  'creepy'  animals 
that  women  hate  to  have  in  the  house." 
Lindsay  hated  them  too  and  read  on 
with  me:  "They  begin  to  appear  on 
the  porch,  in  the  basement  and  in  the 
house  in  numbers  ranging  from  one  or 
two  to  exceptional  cases  where  they 

continued 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


Landscape  Design:  continued 


may  number  in  the  hundreds  or  even 
thousands."  It  was  right  there  in  the 
Black  Book.  "First  spray,  mid-May, 
then  mid-June  and  mid-July.  Object  of 
spraying:  get  them  before  breeding 
and  emergence."  By  the  end  of  July 
we  were  vacuuming  them  in  the  house 
and  shoveling  them  up  outdoors  at 
the  base  of  walls.  Yes,  we  were  the 
exceptional  case.  We  survived  that 
crawly,  crunchy  July  but  never  since 
have  neglected  to  spray  Diazanon  by 
hose  attachment  on  all  exterior  walls, 
steps  and  on  the  bases  of  shrubs  in  a 
twenty-foot  radius  around  the  house. 

From  the  Black  Book's  1943  land 
survey,  we  knew  that  this  house  and 
property  had  once  belonged  to  Arthur 
Paul,  and  that  the  land  adjoining  was 
part  of  Andorra  Nursery.  Ernesta  and 
Fred  Ballard  identified  Mr.  Paul  for  us 
as  president  of  the  prestigious  Andorra 
Nursery  during  the  1 940's.  Fred  Ballard 
had  grown  up  on  property  adjoining 
the  Wissahickon  end  of  Andorra  Nur- 
sery and  recalled  hearing  his  father  and 
Arthur  Paul  discussing  on  many  an 
evening,  the  hypothetical  right  plant  in 
the  right  place  for  the  perfect  succes- 
sion of  bloom.  Ernesta  pointed  out 
that  Arthur  Paul's  daughter-in-law  is 
Lois  Paul,  PHS  Council  member  and 
good  friend  of  the  library.  The  Pauls 
obligingly  ferreted  out  Arthur  Paul's 
original  plan  for  this  property,  which 
he  called  "Cherry  Hill."  Part  of  it  is 
reproduced  here  with  the  Pauls'  per- 
mission. Reading  the  plan,  I am  struck 
with  the  fact  that  what  was,  in  1 943  a 
sunny  hillside  of  cherry  trees,  cutting 
beds  and  intricate  rose  garden  bordered 
by  a juvenile  boxwood  hedge,  has 
matured  into  a quite  beautiful  but  very 
different  set  of  spaces.  All  now  com- 
pete for  sunlight.  The  strong  east-west 
axis  of  the  garden  effectively  pulls  all 
these  spaces  together. 

We  have  abandoned  the  rose  garden 
for  the  present.  Ernesta,  who  has  con- 
quered a similarly  overgrown  boxwood 
garden,  recommends  removing  half  of 
the  original  rows  of  box.  Then  we 
could  reinstate  the  rose  garden.  We 
may  do  this,  providing  we  can  fit  it  in 
between  millipede  sprayings.  We  have 


Detail  from  a 1943  property  survey. 

taken  action  on  a large  maple  which 
threatened  either  to  pull  down  a wall 
or  to  crash  on  our  greenhouse.  The 
maple  has  been  drastically  topped  and 
an  aging  cherry,  removed.  Both  are 
being  recycled  in  our  new  wood  stove. 

As  I sit  in  my  greenhouse  now,  my 
view  is  of  an  upright,  tightly  pruned 
wisteria  arbor,  past  well  shaped, 
though  still  too  tall  boxwood,  to  the 
gangly  lilacs  completing  Arthur  Paul's 
vista.  The  Cedrus  atlantica  branches 
wave  in  and  out  of  the  vista  adding 
just  the  right  asymmetrical  touch.  Close 
on  my  left,  I spy  one  last  blue  twistem 
on  a pear  branch.  I realize  that  there 
will  come  a time  when  we  tire  of  gently 


knocking  snow  off  boxwood,  fiddling 
with  the  drains  and  spraying  for  milli- 
pedes. When  that  time  comes,  we  too 
will  hand  over  the  Black  Book.  It  will 
have,  among  other  things:  a sump  pump 
guarantee,  a color  xerox  of  Arthur 
Paul's  plan,  the  1975  tour  brochure, 
our  arborist's  name,  and  Penn  State’s 
latest  word  on  millipedes.  Hurry,  chil- 
dren! There's  still  time  for  a wedding 
or  two  under  the  lilcas.  David  Miller 
can  play  his  bagpipes  in  the  garden, 
weather  permitting. 

• 

Mary  Lou  Wolfe,  horticultural  librarian  at 
PHS,  is  hooked  on  old  houses  and  old 
gardens. 


When  you  take  over  an  old  garden: 

Take  "before"  pictures. 

Ask  previous  owner  for  plans,  records,  hints  on  problems. 

Make  a rough  plan  of  existing  garden. 

Determine  your  boundaries:  whose  property  is  the  fence  or  hedge  really  on?  who  maintains? 
Get  a soil  test  from  your  local  Cooperative  Extension  Service.  (See  page  26.) 

Watch  how  water  drains,  where  snow  melts  first,  prevailing  winter  wind  direction,  noise 
problems. 

Identify  major  trees  and  shrubs. 

See  the  garden  through  one  growing  season  before  making  drastic  changes. 

If  you  think  you  have  tree  problems,  consider  consulting  an  arborist.  (See  page  28.) 

Get  advice  on  priorities:  is  a dormant  oil  spray  needed  in  early  spring?  what  must  be  pruned 
and  when ? 

Determine  your  needs:  e.g.,  children's  play  space,  pet  quarters,  parking,  adult  sitting  areas, 
vegetable  garden. 

Begin  a long-range  plan. 

Keep  a garden  diary:  bloom  dates,  disasters,  triumphs,  ideas  for  future. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photos  by  Mary  Lou  Wolfe 


A garden  bordered  by  Japanese  hemlocks, 
Tsuga  diversifolia,  looks  up  toward  a 
wooded  hill. 


The  east-west  axis  from  the  original  plan  incorporates  wisteria,  boxwood,  and  lilacs. 


A weeping  cherry,  Prunus  subhirtella  pendula,  frames  the  terrace  from  the  hillside  above. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


16 


BACK TO 


Gel  ting  the  Plant 
and  Getting 
it  into  the  Ground 


Jane  Lennon 


Plants  come  into  our  gardens  as 
seeds,  roots  or  bulbs,  as  dormant  plants 
or  as  actively  growing  plants,  in  con- 
tainers or  dug  from  the  garden. 

In  the  Delaware  Valley  area  there  are 
many  excellent  growers,  nurseries  and 
garden  centers  to  supply  our  plant 
needs.  Plant  sales  are  held  each  spring 
at  local  churches  and  arboretums,  by 
plant  societies  and  garden  clubs.  Mail 
order  nurseries,  seed  and  bulb  houses 
offer  a wide  range  of  plants  to  further 
tempt  us.  Generally  the  plant  grower 
or  supplier  can  provide  us  with  plant- 
ing and  growing  information,  and  cata- 
logs are  filled  with  useful  instructions. 

For  our  convenience  in  collecting 
the  plants  and  getting  them  into  the 
ground  let's  think  of  them  in  groups: 
garden  dug  plants  and  container  grown 
plants  first  (since  we  may  be  planting 
these  now,  in  midsummer),  then  seeds 
and  dormant  plants,  which  are  ordered 
for  spring  planting. 

Some  treasures  in  our  gardens  are 
plants  shared  by  gardening  friends. 
Once  you  have  caught  the  gardening 
bug,  you  may  find  a handsome  clump 
of  your  mother's  neighbor's  iris  at 
your  back  door  or  a newspaper-wrapped 
package  of  white  violet  plants  on  your 
office  desk. 

When  I am  offered  a piece  of  a plant 
I would  like  to  own  I usually  volunteer 
to  get  the  shovel.  I subscribe  to  the 
theory  that  "now"  is  the  right  time  of 
year.  I note  or  ask  about  the  plant's 
present  growing  conditions,  and  the 
name  of  my  new  division  (or  part  of 
the  original  plant  complete  with  roots), 
and  I write  it  down,  knowing  that  I 
won't  remember. 


getting  the  plant  into  the  ground 

As  soon  as  the  plant  gets  to  my 
house  I cut  back  about  one  half  of  the 
top,  unless  it  is  very  early  spring.  Any 
flowers  go  on  the  dining  room  table, 
and  the  new  plant  is  relieved  of  excess 
foliage  it  cannot  support.  Then  I wrap 
its  roots  firmly  in  newspaper  or  plastic, 
leaving  the  top  sticking  out.  I water  it 


well  and  put  it  outside  in  the  shade. 

I would  like  to  replant  my  new 
treasure  the  same  day  it  was  dug,  but 
it  doesn't  always  happen.  A plant  may 
have  to  wait  for  a few  days  or  even  a 
week  as  I have  described.  They  must 
never  be  allowed  to  dry  out.  While  the 
plant  waits,  wrapped,  watered  and 
shaded,  choose  a new  home  for  it, 
mindful  of  its  growing  and  light  require- 
ments and  of  your  garden  scheme. 

Dig  a hole  larger  and  deeper  than 
your  new  plant.  Refill  the  hole  with 
good  soil;  set  the  plant,  holding  its  top 
in  one  hand  and  firming  the  soil  under 
and  around  it  with  your  other  hand. 
Keep  the  crown  (the  place  where  the 


top  and  roots  meet  — see  illustration) 
slightly  above  ground  level.  When  the 
plant  is  set,  and  before  all  the  soil  has 
been  replaced,  fill  the  planting  hole 
with  water  several  times  and  let  it  drain, 
then  finish  filling  the  hole  with  soil. 
Firm  the  soil  around  the  plant  with 
your  foot,  then  water  it  again.  A divi- 
sion or  transplant  is  a mature,  well- 
rooted  plant.  It  must  be  in  firm  con- 
tact with  the  surrounding  soil.  Flooding 
the  planting  hole  and  tramping  the  soil 
are  important  steps  in  establishing  the 
plant  successfully  in  your  garden. 
Recently  moved  plants  require  addi- 
tional watering  until  they  have  regrown 
lost  roots.  Water  at  any  sign  of  wilting. 

Gift  plants  may  also  include  gift 
weeds,  which  you  will  do  well  to 
remove  from  the  clump  before  you  re- 
plant ' it  in  your  garden.  Grasses  and 
weeds  with  thick  white  roots  are  espe- 
cially troublesome.  There  are  also 
occasional  gift  insects.  Careful  inspec- 
tion of  new  plants  can  avoid  problems 
later. 

Container  grown  plants  or  plants  in 
pots  are  available  to  buy  and  plant 
during  the  entire  growing  season,  which 
is  certainly  an  advantage.  The  disad- 
vantage is  that  they  are  often  irresistible 
impulse  items.  For  example,  a gardener 
might  happily  carry  home  an  abelia 
with  shining  leaves  and  beguiling  trum- 
pet flowers  on  all  its  tips,  and  only  later 
realize  that  it  cannot  be  accommodated 
in  his  garden  scheme. 

Going  plant  shopping  with  a list, 
either  of  specific  plants  you  want  or  of 
the  locations  you  want  to  plant,  is  a 
wise  move.  If  you  need  advice,  shop  at 
a nursery  garden  center  where  the 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photos  by  Patrick  Radebaugh 


owner  and  employees  have  horticultural 
training,  rather  than  at  a supermarket 
or  department  store  where  you  are  on 
your  own. 

Container  grown  plants  are  often 
labeled  with  planting  instructions  as 
well  as  the  plant's  soil,  light  and  space 
requirements.  A few  important  bits  of 
planting  instruction  may  be  missing 
for  the  novice.  Most  important— take 
the  plant  out  of  the  container!  You 
may  laugh  and  say  "I  know  that,"  but 
last  spring  I overheard  a clerk  assure  a 
customer  that  her  spiraea  should  be 
planted  pot  and  all  and  that  the  pot 
would  dissolve.  The  pot  may  eventually 
dissolve  or  rot  but  not  until  the  plant 
is  long  dead  and  forgotten. 

Another  important  missing  instruc- 
tion is  to  loosen  the  roots  before  plant- 
ing. Root  systems,  grown  in  containers, 
are  usually  tight  container-shaped 
lumps  and  will  continue  to  grow  in 
their  old  tight  confines  unless  you  take 
steps  to  prevent  it.  Take  a sharp  knife 
and  make  six  or  eight  top-to-bottom 
vertical  cuts  about  one  inch  deep, 
spaced  around  the  root  ball  (see  illus- 
tration). The  cuts  eliminate  circling 
roots  and  promote  growth  of  new 
feeder  roots.  After  the  pot  has  been 
removed  and  the  roots  loosened,  follow 
the  rest  of  the  grower's  instructions. 


Cutting  eliminates  circling  roots  and  pro- 
motes new  feeder  roots. 


for  planting. 

Large  container  grown  plants  can 
wait  for  weeks  or  even  months  between 
purchase  and  planting  if  they  are  water- 
ed properly.  Not  so  with  the  tiny  ones. 
Annual  flower  and  vegetable  plants 
bought  in  market  packs,  or  flimsy  ice 
cube  trays,  are  sold  when  they  are 
ready  to  plant.  They  are  very  crowded 
in  their  tiny  containers  and  apt  to  dry 
out  several  times  a day.  Buy  these 
when  you  are  ready  to  put  them  into 
the  ground.  Pop  them  out  of  their  tiny 
pots,  gently  loosen  their  roots  and 
plant  them  quickly.  Water  well  at 
planting,  and  watch  them  carefully. 
They  look  sad  and  limp  when  they 
need  water,  but  are  quickly  reestab- 
lished and  growing. 

Catalog  shopping  for  bulbs,  seeds 
and  bare  root  plants  is  a favorite  past- 
time for  many  gardeners.  Nursery  cata- 
logs are  filled  cover  to  cover  with  glow- 


ing descriptions,  pictures,  useful  grow- 
ing tips  and  remarkably  low  prices.  We 
are  tempted  to  go  wild,  selecting  far 
more  seeds  and  plants  than  we  can  grow. 

seeds 

How  much  seed  is  enough?  The 
most  difficult  part  of  making  a seed 
order  is  limiting  yourself  to  what  you 
can  reasonably  hope  to  plant.  Limit 
the  order  a great  deal  further  to  what 
you  can  accommodate  in  your  prepared 
garden  space.  Remember  that  all  the 
plants  that  survive  the  vagaries  of  damp 
off,  drought,  dogs,  bugs  and  neglect 
will  require,  within  months  of  their 
germination,  thousands  of  times  the 
volume  of  space  the  innocent  seeds 
required. 

In  the  face  of  this  greentide  you 
can  be  very  picky.  Eliminate  any  vege- 
table you  don't  enjoy  eating,  and  skip 
anything  that  sounds  doubtful  in  our 
climate.  Consider  buying  plants  of  pep- 
pers and  tomatoes  if  you  have  no  in- 
door growing  space.  Choose  your  seed 
for  success.  If  you  are  a beginner,  stick 
to  annuals,  and  buy  a few  pots  of  per- 
ennial herbs.  A good  vigorous  pot  of 
thyme  costs  the  same  as  a package  of 
seed. 

Having  ordered  seed,  read  the  plant- 
ing instructions  and  follow  them.  Please 

continued 


Leftover  seed  can  be  saved  for  another  year  or  planted,  grown  and  plowed  under  for  green  manure 


17 


the  green  scene  • july1980 


On  the  left,  two  hundred  feet  of 
hardy  orange  hedging, Poncirus  tri 
foliata  seedlings.  On  the  right,  a 
two  year  old  Viburnum  carlesii. 


18 


take  the  advice  of  the  seed  producer 
who  knows  his  product  and  wants  you 
to  have  every  possible  success  growing  it 

Many  seed  packets  tell  us  that  the 
seed  may  be  planted  indoors  six  weeks 
before  the  last  frost  date.  But,  consider 
such  an  early  start  with  care.  The  seed- 
lings will  need  very  good  light  to 
amount  to  anything.  They  need  daily 
checking  for  water  and  they  will  prob- 
ably need  to  be  transplanted,  occupy- 
ing considerably  more  space  before 
they  can  go  out  into  the  garden. 

Time  spent  worrying  over  seedlings 
is  better  spent  in  the  garden  working 
up  the  soil  or  building  a small  nursery 
bed.  It  is  easiest  to  wait  until  mid-May 
or  early  June  and  plant  outside. 

Now  in  midsummer  with  loads  of 
seeds  left  over  you  have  two  chances 
to  recoup.  Many  seeds  remain  viable 
for  several  years.  (See  March  1980 
Green  Scene.)  If  you  do  save  seed, 
remember  to  look  through  it  when 
you  make  your  1981  order. 


Or  if  you  don't  want  to  save  leftover 
seed  for  next  year,  mix  all  the  seed 
together— flowers,  vegetables,  pumpkins 
and  delphiniums,  and  broadcast  the 
seed  on  newly  dug  garden  areas.  The 
resulting  cover  crop  or  green  manure 
can  be  turned  into  the  soil  in  winter  or 
early  spring. 

bare  root 

Catalog  shopping  for  bare  root  nur- 
sery stock  is  done  in  winter  for  delivery 
in  early  spring.  Shipped  leafless  (dor- 
mant) with  all  the  soil  washed  from 
the  roots,  bare  root  plants  are  light- 
weight and  easy  to  handle. 

Mail  order  nurseries  include  instruc- 
tions with  your  shipment.  Follow  their 
directions  for  cutting  back  and  plant- 
ing. They  will  also  include  suggestions 
for  keeping  the  plants  in  good  condi- 
tion if  planting  must  be  delayed. 

Before  ordering  bare  root  plants, 
prepare  garden  beds  and  tree  pits  in 
the  fall.  Then  order  only  what  you  are 


ready  to  plant.  It  is  often  not  possible 
to  dig  a strawberry  bed  or  holes  for 
fruit  trees  in  early  spring.  March  snow 
turns  to  April  rain  and  strawberry 
plants  turn  to  mush  in  the  package. 

Fences  for  espalier  fruit  trees  or 
arbors  for  grapes  should  also  be  made 
in  advance.  Bare  roots  can  be  arranged 
in  the  planting  hole  to  stradle  a post  or 
have  a flat  side  against  a wall.  A sup- 
port installed  after  planting  will  cause 
root  disturbance  and  damage. 

Filling  an  area  with  growing  plants 
is  easy.  Nature  will  do  that  for  us— 
unassisted.  Gardening,  on  the  other 
hand  is  planned  and  controlled  by  the 
gardener,  to  create  a desired  effect  or 
to  provide  desired  produce. 

Your  garden  is  a reflection  of  the 
thought  and  care  you  have  put  into  it. 
• 

Jane  Lennon  had  plenty  of  experience  get- 
ting plants  a nd  getting  them  into  the  ground. 
Retired  from  the  Philadelphia  Green  pro- 
gram, she  is  developing  her  own  new  garden 
in  Ph  iladelphia. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photo  supplied  by  author 


BACK TO 


( i Iff  tint  'den  i ng 

(^)  by  Libby  J.  Goldstein 


^ * * 

1 m 

I m 

A party  begins  near  the  compost  bin  at  the  Demonstration  Garden  at  3rd  and  Christian  Streets. 


Starting  a new  garden  in  the  city  is 
first  and  foremost  an  exercise  in  self- 
control.  I have  started  one  backyard 
and  two  community  gardens  in  Queen 
Village,  and  one  of  these  days  I shall 
be  getting  round  to  my  second  back- 
yard. Since  I have  owned  the  second 
backyard  for  several  years  now,  one 
might  conclude  that  I have  finally 
learned  to  defer  my  gardening  gratifi- 
cation. Not  so.  Everytime  I read  a new 
catalog,  I still  want  everything— this 
week. 

I have  been  held  back  from  over- 
planting my  new  sun-filled  16  ft.  x 
36  ft.  yard  extension  by  logistics  and 
economics.  The  original  backyard  came 
with  a fence.  It  was  cunningly  con- 
structed of  1 in.  x 12  in.  boards  nailed 


to  alternate  sides  of  2 in.  x 4 in.  string- 
ers to  permit  free  air  passage,  but  not 
enough  to  keep  my  grapes  from  an 
annual  attack  of  powdery  mildew.  More 
wonderful  yet,  not  only  could  every 
kid  in  the  neighborhood  climb  the 
fence  using  the  stringers  as  steps,  I 
could  too  and  have  on  several  occasions. 
Not  the  best  sort  of  urban  design,  but 
it  has  had  one  positive  outcome.  I am 
the  proud  owner  of  a six-foot  step 
ladder,  which  was  left  in  the  yard  by 
some  local  burglars.  They  were  appar- 
ently deterred  from  their  rounds  by 
dog  or  neighbors.  I got  to  keep  the 
ladder. 

The  new  yard  presents  a smooth 
fence  face  to  the  street,  but  I had  to 
wait  forever  for  our  local  craftsman  to 


construct  its  crookedness,  and  the  gate 
barely  opens.  He  did,  at  long  last,  man- 
age to  install  the  4 in.  x 4 in.  cedar 
posts  between  my  yard  and  my  neigh- 
bors' so  that  I may  actually  have  some 
support  for  the  grape  vines  and  berries 
or  espaliered  fruit  trees  I planned  for 
food  and  privacy.  Of  course,  the  posts 
went  in  right  over  an  old  foundation- 
increasing  labor  costs  enormously. 
When  possible,  avoid  property  lines. 
They  tend  to  have  walls  under  them. 

Air  circulation  actually  doesn't 
seem  to  have  been  much  of  a problem. 
Although  in  a neighborhood  with  three- 
and  four-story  houses  and  brick  walls 
it  could  well  be.  The  problem  is  soil, 
of  which  there  isn't  any  to  speak  of.  I 
know  one  family  who  had  a double  lot 

continued 


19 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


( ill/  Uardrniny  continued 


on  which  they  built  garden  and  house. 
They  actually  excavated  the  entire  gar- 
den site  to  remove  all  of  the  structures 
under  it  and  refilled  the  hole  with  clean 
fill  covered  With  imported  "top  soil." 
Such  a program  is  totally  beyond  my 
means,  but  if  you  can  afford  it,  it 
should  obviously  be  done  before  erect- 
ing your  fence. 

My  plan  for  the  original  backyard 
included  dwarf  fruit  trees,  the  grape 
vines,  some  blueberry  bushes,  as  well 
as  some  ornamental  shrubbery  for  the 
sunnier  parts  and  wildlings  for  shade 
and  as  ground  cover.  Because  such  a 
strangeness  depended  primarily  upon 
transplants,  I brought  in  no  top  soil. 
There  was  no  way  of  dumping  it  over 
the  fence  in  any  case.  Instead,  I bought 
bales  of  peat  humus,  rock  minerals, 
and  composted  manure.  I then  conned 
one  of  my  neighbors,  who  was  into 
neighborhood  archeology,  into  helping 
me  dig  three-foot  deep  holes  all  round 
the  perimeter  of  the  yard  where  there 
is  sun  from  February  to  September. 


When  planting  time  came,  I simply 
filled  the  holes  with  a mixture  of  exca- 
vated fill,  the  peat  humus  and  the  ferti- 
lizers. The  herbaceous  materials  also 
got  very  large  holes  filled  with  the  same 
soil  mix.  Yearly  mulching  with  every- 
thing from  weeds,  kitchen  wastes  and 
used  holiday  greens  to  bagged  mulches 
of  various  sorts  has  increased  my  soil 
depth  and  tilth  most  satisfactorily.  So 
has  the  large  dog  who  lives  here. 

an  error 

I did  make  one  error  in  soil  prepa- 
ration. I never  had  a soil  test  made.  My 
assumption  that  peat  humus,  cotton 
seed  meal  and  the  natural  acid  rain  we 
are  all  heir  to  would  support  a lot  of 
acid-lovers  was  wrong.  The  side  of  the 
garden  where  I planted  blueberries, 
some  roses  and  a rhododendron  is, 
luckily,  O.K.  The  other  side,  not  six 
feet  away,  is  fine  for  sweet  woodruff 
(Galium  odoratum) , assorted  spring 
bulbs  and  a Geranium  maculatum  or 
two,  but  all  sorts  of  acid-loving  plants 


have  expired  there;  too  many  bricks 
and  too  much  mortar,  no  doubt. 

My  plan  for  the  new  yard  is  some- 
what less  labor  intensive.  (One  can  only 
fool  local  archeologists  once— especially 
as  we  are  all  seven  years  older  now.) 
Assuming  that  the  contractor  who  is 
working  across  the  street  is  still  saving 
his  old  3 in.  x 12  in.  joist  boards  for 
me,  I intend  to  use  them  to  construct 
raised  beds  and  a sitting  space  (at  grade). 

The  difference  in  methodology  is 
not  just  based  on  aging.  The  original 
backyard  was  a backyard  and  consisted 
mostly  of  some  sort  of  soil.  (A  concrete 
pad  buried  in  its  middle  is  now  covered 
with  pebbles,  three  rocks  from  a cellar 
on  Fulton  Street  and  dwarf  bamboo, 
creating  a faintly  Asian  effect.)  The 
new  backyard  was  primarily  a house. 
Thus,  the  kind  of  hand  excavation  we 
did  for  the  trees,  vines  and  shrubs 
would  be  virtually  impossible.  I will 
loosen  up  the  material  under  the  pro- 
posed beds  with  my  trusty  pick,  but 
the  beds  with  their  made  soil  will  be 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


Alpine  strawberries 
(Fragaria  vesca)  in  the  win- 
dow box  and  the  kettle  on 
the  ground.  A juniper 
(Juniperus  horizontalis  'Bar 
HarborV  shares  the  box. 
Against  the  wall  is  an  early 
flowering  hybrid  lilac  bush; 
in  the  small  box  on  the 
ground.  Chrysanthemum 
x morifolium. 


the  primary  growth  space.  The  "soil" 
in  this  case  will  probably  be  a mixture 
of  Fairmount  Park  compost  and  man- 
ure from  my  neighbor  Mr.  Hick's, 
stable.  I should  love  to  use  spent  mush- 
room compost,  which  we've  used  most 
successfully  in  community  gardens, 
but  there  is  no  way  to  get  a dump 
tractor  trailer  into  Little  Kauffman 
Street,  an  alley  really.  (Perhaps  I could 
borrow  a pick-up  truck  and  drive  down 
to  Chester  County  . . .)  In  the  mean- 
time, I have  been  composting  and  green 
manuring  with  buckwheat  and  leftover 
seeds  of  all  kinds  from  soybeans  to 
black  radishes  and  have  been  encourag- 
ing the  large,  worm-free  dog  with  whom 
I share  house  and  garden  to  join  me  in 
preliminary  soil  preparation. 

how  to  find  the  right  spot 
to  plant  in  a city  yard 

Every  gardening  book  you  read  will 
encourage  you  to  make  a sun  and  shade 
chart  of  your  garden  so  you  can  tell 
what  to  plant  where,  but  if  you  are 
gardening  in  the  city,  and  particularly 
if  your  proposed  garden  is  to  be  on  a 
vacant  lot,  a structure  and  fill  plan  is 
also  most  helpful.  Wait  a few  days  after 
the  next  rain  so  the  land  can  be  dug, 
then  take  a shovel  or  a pick  and  make 
holes  every  foot  or  so.  You'll  get  a pic- 
ture of  where  the  foundations  are  and 
of  other  underground  structures.  If 


you  can  get  down  a foot,  plan  to  plant 
there. 

I really  thought  I had  done  super 
well  with  my  sun  and  shade  charts  'til 
last  year  when  my  Spitzenburg  apple 
finally  set  fruit.  By  the  time  the  fruit 
was  large  enough  to  begin  its  final 
ripening  there  was  no  more  sun  in  the 
yard,  and  the  fruit  never  did  color  up 
or  ripen  properly.  Had  I been  more 
concerned  with  fall  sun  and  less  with 
having  a historic  cultivar.  I'd  have  been 
much  happier.  As  it  was,  the  house 
finch  flock  had  a good  feed  even  though 
I didn't. 

The  original  yard  came  equipped 
with  a dusk  to  dawn  spotlight  and  a 
water  bibb  thoughtfully  provided  by 
the  developer.  (He  also  laid  an  exposed 
aggregate  patio  without  consulting  me 
—and  removed  it  as  soon  as  I got  my 
mortgage  commitment.)  In  any  case,  I 
didn't  have  to  worry  about  lighting 
and  water.  A longer  hose  will  reach  the 
new  garden.  Luckily,  my  original  pebble 
path  runs  almost  directly  from  the  bibb 
to  the  place  where  we  opened  the 
fence  to  the  new  garden  so  I shan't  be 
crushing  plants  everytime  I water. 

One  could,  however,  plant  some  pip- 
ing with  the  occasional  bibb  to  facili- 
tate overhead  or  drip  irrigation  schemes. 
Again,  all  of  this  must  be  thought 
through  before  the  garden  becomes 


more  than  a collection  of  graph  papers 
with  weird  curves  and  lines  all  over 
them.  And  you'll  need  to  decide 
whether  you're  going  to  want  a pool 
of  some  sort.  I have  worries  about 
small  persons  lying  face  down  and 
drowning  in  six  inches  or  a foot  of 
water  everytime  I think  pool,  but 
some  people  are  more  sanguine.  If  you 
do  want  a pool,  it  can,  of  course,  be 
filled  with  a hose.  You  may,  however, 
want  to  fill  it  from  underground,  and 
if  you  want  a fountain  or  waterfall, 
you'll  need  electricity,  too. 

I have,  , discussed  electrify- 

ing my  second  yard  with  the  local 
craftsman.  I have  no  intention  of  dig- 
ging up  the  first  one  to  lay  conduit 
into  the  second  one.  So  he  had  to  deal 
with  that.  He  suggested  a special  out- 
door outlet  on  the  rear  wall  of  the 
house  from  which  I could  string  wire 
along  the  fence  and  into  the  new  yard. 
An  underground  conduit  with  outlets 
where  you  plan  to  have  lights  and 
fountains  and  hot  frames  would  be 
more  pleasing  to  the  eye,  if  not  the 

Not  the  best  sort  of  urban  design, 
but  it  has  had  one  positive  out- 
come. I am  the  proud  owner  of  a 
six-foot  step  ladder,  which  was 
left  in  the  yard  by  some  local 
burglars. 

back  or  checkbook,  but  one  lives  with 
one's  decisions— and  one's  means. 

Finally,  I do  plan  to  have  what  my 
mother  calls  "a  place  to  sit"  in  the 
new  yard.  Actually,  we  sit  on  the  front 
steps  on  our  block.  The  backyard  is 
for  gardening,  the  occasional  barbecue 
or  the  car.  It's  much  friendlier.  We  can 
watch  the  happenings  and  mishappen- 
ings,  and  most  especially,  we  can  keep 
up  with  the  news.  However,  the  stoop 
is  not  for  sunbathing.  If  you  don't  get 
your  tan  working  in  the  community 
garden,  you're  supposed  to  go  to  the 
shore  or  fishing  or  something.  My 
"place  to  sit"  will  be  for  sunning,  even 
if  it  is  in  full  view  of  the  apartment 
house  that  looms  to  the  north.  I shall 
still  be  able  to  loll  in  my  DR  (Design 
Research)  beach  chair  and  read  over  a 

continued 


21 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photo  by  Aaron  Z.  Scott 


The  main  problem  with  community 
gardening  in  Philadelphia  is  the  lack  of 
permanence.  Our  first  garden  lasted 
one  year.  The  owner  had  undisclosed 
development  plans.  We  may  or  may 
not  be  able  to  acquire  the  present  site. 
We've  spent  four  years  on  soil  improve- 
ment, planted  an  orchard  and  large 
parts  of  our  souls  in  it.  And  the  friend- 
ships and  sense  of  community  forged 
there  are  vital  to  us  as  individuals  and 
as  a neighborhood.  The  thought  of 
losing  it  is  really  traumatic. 

On  the  other  hand,  containers  by 
their  very  nature  are  impermanent.  I 've 
had  one  or  two  containers  walk  up  the 
street  to  the  vacant  lot— undamaged. 
They  had  old  mop  and  broom  handles 
in  them  as  tomato  stakes.  I hadn't 
listened  to  my  friend  Johnny  Davis 
when  he  warned  me  that  the  handles 
would  be  coveted  by  boys  playing 
"Super-heroes.''  Containers  with  plain 
lath  supports  stayed  where  they  were 
planted.  So  did  a large  iron  wash  tub. 

It  was  too  heavy  to  move. 

But  the  real  preserver  of  containers 
on  my  sidewalk  is  history.  One  of  the 
best  container  gardeners  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, Minnie  Townes,  lived  in  my 
house  before  it  was  rehabilitated,  and 
she  always  had  a garden  on  the  side- 
walk, too.  I was  just  continuing  a tra- 
dition. I also  continued  the  tradition 
of  popping  out  the  front  door  or  up- 
stairs window  and  yelling  a lot  at  any 
untoward  behavior. 

Even  yelling,  unfortunately,  does 
not  help  a planting  under  a street  tree 
if  the  planting  is  at  grade  or  unfenced. 
Kids,  pedestrians  and  assorted  beasts 
combine  to  assure  a slow  death.  It 
works  really  well,  however,  if  you  lay 
one  or  two  courses  of  bricks  or  Belgian 
block  around  the  planting  hole.  Beasts 
are  undeterred,  but  runners,  walkers, 
bikers  and  skate  boarders  do  stop.  If 
they  don't  fall  into  your  planting  too 
often,  you  can  be  fairly  well  assured  of 
success  as  long  as  you  remember  to 
water  and  feed  everything  regularly.  But 
you  have  to  do  that  in  the  suburbs,  too. 
• 

Libby  J.  Goldstein  is  a South  Philadelphia 
gardener  who  coordinates  The  Pennsylvania 
State  University  /Cooperative  Extension  Ser- 
vice Urban  Gardening  Program,  writes  the 
"City  Gardener"  column  for  th e Philadelphia 
Daily  News  and  now  has  an  experimental 
mushroom  farm  growing  in  her  guest  room. 

the  green  scene  • july  1980 


( ill/  Oardriiiny  continued 

long  weekend.  Who  needs  an  all-over 
tan  anyway?  Besides,  it  will  be  nice  to 
have  a place  to  grill  ribs  outdoors.  The 
last  time  I did  them  in  the  oven  I had 
to  adjourn  my  guests  to  the  front 
steps  while  I cleared  the  smoke  out  of 
the  house. 

other  city  options  and  problems 

Since  I spent  my  early  years  as  a 


Queen  Village  gardener  with  a super- 
small garden  and  lots  of  shade.  I've 
done  most  of  my  edible  gardening  at 
the  Southwark/Queen  Village  Com- 
munity Garden.  I've  also  done  quite  a 
lot  of  container  gardening  on  the  side- 
walk on  the  sunny  south  side  of  the 
house,  in  the  yard  extension  and  under 
lights  in  the  cellar.  I've  even  tried  an 
herb  patch  under  my  street  tree. 


On  the  right,  golden  muscat  grapevine;  rose  bush  'Betty  Prior';  left  foreground,  blueberry 
bush,  an  unnamed  cultivar  from  New  England. 


Chemicals  for  the 
Concerned  Gardener 


by  M.  M.  Brubaker 


As  I started  planning  our  garden 
this  year,  I was  reminded  of  the  recom- 
mendation in  Farmer's  and  Gardener's 
Manual  of  1869  that  we  apply  in  the 
fall  as  much  horse  manure  per  acre  as 
we  can  hire  a man  to  haul  and  spread 
for  $200,  at  least  100  cartloads.  This 
corresponds  to  three  to  five  "cartloads" 
for  a small  backyard  garden. 

Since  I devoted  much  of  my  work- 
ing life  to  organic  chemistry,  I should 
be  a strong  proponent  of  organic  gar- 
dening. I am,  in  fact,  convinced  that 
organic  matter  does  wonders  for  the 
vegetable  garden.  Even  manure  can  be 
overdone,  however.  Year  after  year  of 
horse  manure  or  some  other  good 
fertilizer  can  result  in  a nutrient  imbal- 
ance. To  correct  a particular  imbalance 
in  our  garden  required  a shocking 
amount  of  the  non-organic  cathartic, 
Epsom  salts.  I'll  urge  that  you  ask  the 
State  Extension  Service  to  analyze 
your  soil  (see  list  on  page  27),  and 
then,  deviating  from  the  organic  gar- 
dening gospel,  follow  the  Service's 
recommendations  for  adding  the  proper 
nutrients.  This  service  is  more  of  a bar- 
gain than  the  1 869  cartload  of  manure. 

weeds 

A high  proportion  of  beginning  gar- 
deners fall  by  the  wayside  when  weeds 
take  over.  A fertile,  productive  garden 
soil  will  support  a great  crop  of  weeds. 
No  matter  how  it  is  done  the  fight 
against  weeds  is  the  most  irksome  task 
of  the  gardener.  Planting,  harvesting, 
and  even  the  game  of  controlling  pests 
can  be  interesting,  but  weeding  and 
hoeing  have  little  to  recommend  them. 

After  the  first  flush  of  weeds  is  elimi- 
nated in  our  garden  and  most  of  the 
plants  are  growing,  we  use  a newspaper 
mulch.  I've  tried  different  mulches, 
but  always  come  back  to  a good  layer 
of  newspapers  between  rows  overlaid 
with  grass,  straw,  hay,  compost,  or 
even  old  manure.  Black  plastic  is  fine 
in  certain  places,  but  for  the  garden  in 
general  it  results  in  a serious  disposal 
problem.  Newspapers  can  be  plowed  or 
spaded  in  at  the  season's  end,  they 


stop  weeds  better  than  a hay  or  straw 
mulch,  and  mulching  is  a good  way  to 
recycle  old  newspapers. 

Proper  use  of  herbicides  might  pro- 
vide a solution  to  the  weed  problem  in 
the  home  garden.  However,  this  would 
require  considerable  knowledge  of 
herbicides  and  their  use,  as  well  as  the 
ability  to  control  very  accurately  their 
application.  Furthermore  there  is  as 
yet  only  one  herbicide,  Dacthal, 
approved  for  use  in  the  home  vegetable 
garden. 

Dacthal  is  a preemergence  herbicide. 
It  prevents  sprouting  of  seeds,  hope- 
fully only  weed  seeds.  It  is  not  likely 
to  damage  established  plants,  but 
recommended  timing  of  application 
should  be  carefully  followed  for  each 
drop  to  avoid  interference  with  sprout- 
ing of  vegetable  or  flower  seeds  or 
injury  to  especially  sensitive  crops. 

The  most  persistent  hot-weather 
weed  in  our  garden  is  purslane.  It  is  "a 
pleasant  salad  herb"  very  high  in  vita- 
min C,  according  to  the  Nichols  Garden 
Nursery  where  you  can  buy  seeds.  We 
have  never  been  able  to  eat  more  than 
a miniscule  fraction  of  the  purslane  we 
grow.  If  hoed  and  chopped  up,  pieces 
of  purslane  left  lying  on  the  ground 
will  take  root  again.  Dacthal  will  not 
prevent  this  rooting,  but  it  will  control 


purslane  quite  well  if  application  is 
timed  properly  (before  the  seeds  sprout). 

insects 

Once  the  gardener  has  attained  suf- 
ficient weed  control  to  continue  inter- 
est in  gardening,  the  next  problem  is 
insect  damage.  This  is  much  more  of  a 
problem  than  it  used  to  be  before  wide- 
spread fear  of  chemicals.  I'm  all  for 
preventing  injury  to  people,  protecting 
the  environment,  and  keeping  children 
out  of  the  poisons,  but  rational  activity 
is  very  much  hampered  by  the  paranoia 
that  publicity  about  chemicals  has 
created. 

In  dealing  with  pest  problems  in  a 
large  garden  during  the  past  40  years, 
we  have  used  all  possible  approaches, 
including  some  of  those  recommended 
by  the  organic  gardeners  and  some  us- 
ing synthetic  chemicals.  The  prevalence 
of  pests  and  diseases  varies  widely  from 
one  garden  to  another  and  from  one 
year  to  another,  depending  on  such 
factors  as  weather,  type  and  abundance 
of  weeds  in  the  area,  type  of  soil,  or 
proximity  of  large  farm  crops.  For 
example,  we  have  not  yet  found  it 
necessary  to  use  pest  control  chemi- 
cals on  our  corn.  Corn  pests  have 
needed  control  in  many  gardens.  Like- 
wise we  have  not  yet  encountered 

continued 


Whitefly  — adult,  eggs  and  nymphs. 


23 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


BASICS 


Chemicals  continued 

trouble  with  the  whitefly  that  worries 
so  many  gardeners. 

Every  serious  gardener  should  use  a 
hand  magnifying  glass  and  learn  to 
identify  common  garden  pests  and  their 
eggs  and  offspring.  This  is  the  first  step 
in  what  is  widely  promoted  as  "Inte- 
grated Pest  Management  ( I PM ) . " Al- 
though I think  there  are  some  strik- 
ing exceptions,  it  is  generally  tolerable 
to  wait  until  insect  damage  becomes 
apparent  before  using  pesticides. 

Any  practice  that  impedes  the  wel- 
fare of  pests  should  be  followed.  One 
such  fundamental  practice  is  rotation 
of  crops  in  the  garden.  That  may  be 
difficult  in  a small  garden  and  of  limited 
effectiveness.  We  are  able  to  divide  our 
vegetable  garden  into  four  sections, 
and  move  each  group  of  plants  into 
another  quarter  of  the  garden  every 
year.  Any  one  type  of  crop  is  then 
planted  in  any  one  place  every  four 
years.  In  small  gardens  it  may  only  be 
practical  to  change  crops  every  other 
year,  but  even  that  is  worthwhile. 

There  are  other  techniques  recom- 
mended by  the  organic  gardeners  to 
discourage  pests,  and  they  are  worth 
learning  about.  For  example,  the  time  of 
planting  some  vegetables  is  important 
in  controlling  pests.  Some  few  principles 
of  companion  planting  may  be  effective, 
but  I fear  this  practice  has  resulted  in 
more  hopes  than  accomplishments. 

predators 

Use  of  pest  predators  is  another 
tactic  that  is  widely  recommended. 
Few  solid  accomplishments  in  this 
field  are  yet  available  to  the  home 

In  1938  the  onion  maggot  was 
controlled  by  pouring  around 
each  plant  a cup  of  mercuric 
chloride  solution.  This  would 
drive  a modern  environmentalist 
up  the  wall. 

vegetable  gardener.  I have  not  found  it 
possible  to  depend  on  ladybugs  or 
praying  mantis  for  control  of  insects  I 
worry  about.  Some  wasps  do  help  con- 
trol insects,  and  I understand  a promis- 
ing predator  of  the  bean  beetle  is 
under  study.  The  big  tomato  horn 
worm  is  often  controlled  by  a wasp 
along  with  some  hand  picking.  This 
may  be  about  the  only  case  where 
hand  picking  of  insects  is  worth  the 
time  of  a busy  gardener.  You  have  to 


look  sharply  for  these  big  camouflaged 
worms  to  find  them  before  they  do 
considerable  damage.  When  you  see  a 
horn  worm  covered  with  white  eggs, 
let  it  live  to  nourish  a brood  of  wasps 
that  should  hatch  out  of  those  eggs. 

There  are  some  fundamental  prob- 
lems in  the  use  of  predator  organisms 
to  control  your  pests.  First,  the  for- 
eign predators  are  likely  to  be  choosy 
in  their  diet,  and  it  is  necessary  to  fit 
the  predator  to  the  pest.  Second,  there 
must  be  a good  commercial  source  for 
each  type  of  predator.  Third,  a balance 
is  necessary  between  each  predator 
and  its  pest.  If  there  are  not  enough 
pests,  the  predators  will  disappear. 
One  study  of  mite  predators  suggested 
that  a resident  entomologist  might  be 
desirable  to  keep  things  in  balance. 
And  finally,  the  use  of  chemical  con- 
trols is  not  compatible  with  the  use  of 
predators.  As  a matter  of  fact,  how- 
ever, tiny  lizards  (newts),  tree  frogs 
and  spiders  of  many  types  have  pre- 
sisted  in  my  greenhouses  in  spite  of 
the  occasional  use  of  pesticides. 

Plant  breeding  has  provided  the  gar- 
dener with  many  new  vegetable  varie- 
ties that  are  resistant  to  pests  and 
diseases.  Cultivation  of  these  resistant 
varieties  has  substantially  reduced  the 
need  for  fungicidal  chemicals.  Fungi- 
cides have  generally  a much  lower 
mammalian  toxicity  than  insecticides, 
however,  and  their  use  entails  a mini- 
mum of  hazards.  For  example,  the 
fungicide  Manzate  shows  in  animal 
tests  an  acute  oral  toxicity  roughly 
half  that  of  table  salt.  Benlate  and  cap- 
tan  are  rated  even  less  toxic  than  that. 

One  of  the  first  pests  encountered 
in  our  garden  is  the  flea  beetle.  When  a 
zinnia  sprouts  and  sends  up  two  coty- 
ledons, they  often  soon  disappear. 
Unless  you  watch  carefully  and  find 
that  these  tiny  leaves  are  eaten  by  flea 
beetles,  you  might  think  the  zinnias 


never  did  sprout.  As  soon  as  the  coty- 
ledons first  appear  I dust  them  with 
methoxychlor  or  Sevin.  Flea  beetles 
are  damaging  to  many  young  plants. 

Chemical  Controls 

We  have  never  been  able  to  grow 
cucurbits  without  aggressive  use  of 
chemicals.  Early  zucchini,  especially 
the  very  early  plants  grown  in  tubs, 
often  avoid  trouble,  but  cucumbers, 
melons,  and  later  squashes  require 
defense.  Fungi  and  borers  cause  trouble, 
but  most  alarming  is  the  sudden  death 
of  a whole  cucumber  or  melon  vine 
from  bacterial  blight,  which  the  cucum- 
ber beetle  carries  and  injects.  To  pre- 
vent the  blight,  the  beetle  must  be  con- 
trolled. I challenge  the  pleas  of  Inte- 
grated Pest  Managers  to  wait  until  you 
see  the  whites  of  their  eyes.  Use  of 
insecticides  from  the  start  of  growth  is 
necessary  in  many  gardens  for  success 
with  cucumbers  and  melons.  I prefer  a 
hand  duster  and  a vegetable  dust  like 
Agway's  containing  methoxychlor. 

Dusting  may  not  be  as  effective  as 
spraying,  but  it  is  easier  and  less  time- 
consuming  because  the  duster  is  ready 
at  all  times  and  does  not  have  to  be 
washed  out  after  each  use.  Dusting  in 
the  evening  avoids  as  much  as  possible 
injury  to  pollinating  insects,  because 
the  flowers  are  usually  closed  up  at 
that  time.  More  care  to  prevent  inhala- 
tion of  the  chemical  is  necessary  with 
dusting  than  with  spraying. 

The  bean  beetle  appears  as  ubiqui- 
tous as  any  garden  pest.  We  make  six 
successive  plantings  of  snap  beans,  and 
they  all  require  protection.  Rotenone 
used  to  be  the  classic  insecticide  for 
bean  beetles.  It  is  one  of  the  few  insecti- 
cides approved  by  the  organic  garden- 
ers because  it  is  considered  "natural." 
However,  in  animal  tests  it  is  almost 
twice  as  toxic  as  diazinon  and  40  times 
as  toxic  as  methoxychlor.  Rotenone  is 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


also  more  toxic  when  inhaled  and 
causes  liver  and  kidney  damage.  I am 
sure  rotenone  can  be  used  safely  by  an 
intelligent  gardener  who  can  refrain 
from  eating  it  or  breathing  the  dust. 
I've  made  these  toxicity  comparisons 
to  illustrate  the  inconsistency  of  a 
common  attitude  that  "natural" 
materials  are  safe  in  contrast  to  syn- 
thetic chemicals. 

We  have  needed  protection  for 
onions  and  leeks  against  the  maggot  in 
our  garden.  Right  after  putting  in  either 
seeds,  or  sets,  or  tiny  plants,  I go  down 
the  row  with  a sprinkling  can  and 
drench  the  soil  with  a dispersion  of 
diazinon.  Additional  treatments  are 
usually  recommended,  but  I have 
found  the  one  initial  drenching  quite 
effective  in  reducing  damage  by  the 
maggot.  This  same  treatment  for  root 
maggots  can  be  used  on  radishes  and 
brassicas. 

For  proof  that  we  have  come  a long 
way,  please  note  the  recommendation 
in  USD  A Farmer's  Bulletin  No.  1746 
of  1938  that  the  onion  maggot  is  con- 
trolled by  pouring  around  each  plant  a 
cup  of  mercuric  chloride  solution.  This 
would  drive  a modern  environmentalist 
up  the  wall. 

Also  ubiquitous  is  the  cabbage  worm 
on  brassicas  (mustard).  The  most  con- 
servative treatment  here  is,  I think. 
Bacillus  thuringiensis,  sold  under  the 
trade  names  Dipel  and  Thuricide.  This 
is  a disease  organism  that  gives  the 
worms  stomach  trouble.  The  Merck 
Index  says  it  is  "non-toxic  to  humans 
and  animals,"  which  is  a strong  state- 
ment. 

The  whitefly  has  become  trouble- 
some in  outdoor  gardens  recently. 
Whiteflies  should  not  withstand  winter 
temperatures  in  our  climate,  but  they 
can  be  carried  over  in  homes  and  green- 
houses. Three  methods  of  control  have 
been  recommended:  (1)  Use  a vacuum 
cleaner  several  times  per  day  to  suck 
off  the  adults  as  soon  as  they  are  ready 
to  lay  eggs  on  houseplants.  Continue 
until  all  eggs  have  hatched  and  yielded 
adults.  (2)  Cover  bright  orange  colored 
boards  with  a sticky  surface  and  hang 
near  the  plants  to  attract  and  entrap 
the  adults  before  they  lay  eggs.  (3)  For 
outdoors,  spray  a synthetic  chemical, 
Resmethrin,  or  related  compounds 
recently  introduced;  this  is  a more 
practical  attack.  These  newer  whitefly 
sprays  have  not  yet  been  approved  for 


use  on  vegetables. 

Mites  have  not  been  a serious  prob- 
lem for  us  in  the  vegetable  garden. 
However,  they  can  cause  trouble  in  the 
greenhouse  and  may  be  very  worrisome 
in  house  plants.  If  there  are  silvery 
spots  on  the  leaves,  look  underneath 
with  your  magnifying  glass.  The  spider- 
mite  with  eight  legs  belongs  to  a differ- 
ent class  (arachnida)  from  the  insect 
with  six  legs  (hexapoda),  and  is  best 
controlled  with  different  pesticides. 
Mites  adapt  to  frequently  used  pesti- 
cides and  become  tolerant.  Insecticides 
like  malathion  are  "labeled  for"  spider- 
mites,  but  have  in  most  cases  become 
ineffective.  Miticides  such  as  Kelthane 
or  Pentac  give  better  control. 

In  recent  years,  new  insecticides 
have  been  brought  out  that  offer  the 
home  gardener  better  control  of  some 
pests.  Pirimor  and  Orthene  are  examples 
Pirimore  controls  aphids  surprisingly 
well.  Orthene  controls  a broader  range 
of  insects,  but  has  particular  advantage 
for  use  against  sucking  insects  like 
scale  and  mealy  bug  because  of  its  sys- 
temic action  and  persistence.  Orthene 
has  a skunky  odor  that  some  people 
resent,  but  i-t  is  not  very  apparent  after 
dissolution  and  application.  Neither  of 
these  insecticides  is  yet  approved  for 
use  on  edible  crops. 

infections 

Viral  infection  of  vegetable  plants, 
especially  tomatoes,  peppers,  and 


Aphids 


potatoes  is  quite  common.  No  pest 
control  agent  known  at  present  will 
cure  virus  in  a diseased  plant.  The  only 
defense  is  preventive  measures.  Virus 
can  be  transmitted  from  one  plant  to 
another  by  insects  and  by  human  hands. 
Infected  field  weeds  are  a common 
source.  Tobacco  mosaic  virus  is  said  to 
be  present  often  enough  in  cigarettes 
to  be  a likely  source  of  the  disease  in 
garden  plants.  After  handling  tobacco 
products,  it  has  been  suggested  that 
the  hands  be  washed  with  milk  before 
handling  garden  plants  like  tomatoes. 
Milk  is  apparently  not  a true  viruscide 
but  may  have  a retardant  action.  A 
flame  is  the  most  dependable  disinfec- 
tant for  plant  viruses  on  cutting  tools. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  the  compost 
heap  as  commonly  managed,  will  heat 
up  enough  to  kill  plant  diseases. 

parts  per  trillion 

Spectacular  advances  in  analytical 
chemistry  provide  detection  of  such 
minute  quantities  of  pesticides  that  we 
should  begin  to  wonder  how  much  is 
none.  It  is  difficult  to  appreciate  the 
magnitude  of  "parts  per  billion"  or 
"parts  per  trillion"  of  a toxicant,  which 
are  often  seen  in  the  news.  Perhaps  we 
can  better  understand  these  terms 
when  applied  to  the  concentration  of 
some  common  toxicants  we  encounter 
every  day.  For  example,  there  are  more 
than  20,000,000  parts  per  billion  of 
nicotine  in  tobacco,  and  nicotine  is 
much  more  toxic  than  any  of  the  syn- 
thetic pesticides  now  available  to  the 
gardener.  Purchase  of  nicotine  for  gar- 
den use  requires  a pesticide  use  license 
which  you  must  earn  by  passing  an 
examination  on  the  proper  handling  of 
pesticides.  There  are  about  500,000 
parts  per  billion  of  caffein  in  a cup  of 
tea.  Caffein,  even  though  "natural" 
has  a greater  acute  oral  toxicity  in  ani- 
mal tests  than  the  insecticide  diazinon 
or  the  herbicide  2-4-D  and  30  times 
the  toxicity  of  methoxychlor. 

Highly  toxic  chemicals  (deadly,  to 
use  the  language  of  headlines)  found 
naturally  in  common  foods  and  condi- 
ments might,  if  expressed  in  parts  per 
trillion,  make  you  wonder  if  eating  is  a 
good  thing.  (See  Toxicants  Occuring 
Naturally  in  Foods,  Publication  No.  73: 
8968  by  National  Academy  of  Science.) 
Food  plants  did  not  evolve  to  feed 
humans,  and  their  "natural"  toxins  are 
as  likely  to  injure  humans  as  synthetic 

continued 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


continued 


Chemicals 

chemicals,  which  have  been  carefully 
tested  and  selected  for  lowest  possible 
mammalian  toxicity. 

The  table  accompanying  this  article 
compares  acute  oral  toxicity  in  rats  for 
a variety  of  toxic  materials.  This  is  not, 
of  course,  the  only  type  of  toxicity. 
There  are  also  tests  for  carcinogenesis, 
birth  defects,  and  mutation  effects,  for 
example,  some  controversial  and  some 
hard  to  interpret.  Chronic  damage 
from  contact  with  less  than  lethal 
quantities  of  a material  over  a long 
period  of  time  must  also  be  considered. 
Daily  use  of  what  some  people  call  a 
normal  amount  of  table  salt  can  result 
in  very  serious  ailments  and  death.  Fre- 
quent exposure  to  a pesticide  over  a 
long  period  may  in  some  cases  result  in 
a much  greater  hazard  than  indicated 
by  the  acute  oral  toxicity.  Such  chronic 
effects  need  not  be  of  concern  to  the 
home  gardener  who  is  an  infrequent 
user  of  the  recommended  pesticides 
that  are  soon  degraded  by  sun,  air, 
moisture,  and  soil  action. 

The  acute  oral  toxicity  in  rats  is  the 
simplest  direct  measure  of  toxicity, 
and  is  the  basis  for  many  of  the  govern- 
ment regulations  on  pesticides.  It  is 
indeed  a better  guide  than  the  often 
imagined  association  of  chemicals  with 
common  human  ailments  like  headaches, 
arthritic  pains,  miscarriages,  and  neo- 
plasms. Any  of  these  ailments  might 
be  caused  by  poor  diet,  bad  habits, 
and  excesses  of  humans  (which  are 
rare  in  rats). 

The  LD-50  figure  is  the  lowest 
amount  of  a toxicant  (in  milligrams 
per  kilo  of  body  weight),  which  in  a 
single  dose  will  kill  50%  of  the  test  rats. 
Toxicants  in  the  table  are  listed  in 

Garden  Soil 


descending  order  of  toxicity  (the  lower 
the  LD-50  the  more  toxic). 

Some  insecticides  are  much  more 
toxic  to  people  with  a defective  liver. 
Therefore,  if  you  indulge  in  habits  that 
are  injurious  to  the  liver,  you  should 
lower  the  LD-50  for  pesticides  like 
malathion  by  one  or  two  orders  of 
magnitude. 

A final  warning:  To  be  consistent 


with  U.S.  government  pesticide  regula- 
tions, you  should,  by  all  means,  keep 
tea,  coffee,  and  cola  drinks  containing 
caffein  and  also  chocolate  products 
that  contain  the  toxic  theobromine 
out  of  the  reach  of  children. 

• 

M.  M.  Brubaker  is  a frequent  Green  Scene 
contributor. 


ACUTE  ORAL  TOXICITY  IN  RATS  (LD-50*) 

(number  is  mg. /kilo  of  body  weight) 


TOXICANT 

AUTHORITY 

"Toxic  Substance  List 

Merck  Index 

Univ.  of  Penn. 

U.S.  HE&W 

Nicotine  (1) 

50-60 

50-60 

55 

Rotenone  (1) 

133 

132 

132 

Paraquat  (H) 

157 

157 

Sodium  Nitrite 

180 

180 

Caffein 

200 

192 

Theobromine  (in  chocolate) 
Diazinon  (1) 

300 

200  (in  cats) 

Pyrethrin  (1 ) 

200-2600 

Sevin  (1) 

500-700 

400 

388 

2-4-D,  Sodium  Salt  (H) 

610 

610 

Orthene  ( 1 ) 

700 

866 

Ryania  (1) 

1200 

Kelthane  (M) 

1495 

809 

684 

Aspirin 

1750 

1500 

Malathion  (1) 

1000-1370 

1375 

1156 

Vanillin  (in  vanilla) 
Resmethrin  (1) 

1500 

1580 

Monosodium  Glutamate 
Dacthal  (H) 

Over  3000 

Over  3000 

1660 

Sodium  Chloride 
Pentac  (M) 

3750 

3160 

3000 

Methoxychlor  (1) 

6000 

6000 

5000 

Manzate  (F) 

6750 

Benlate  (F) 

Over  9000 

Captan  (F) 

Over  1 5,000 

10,000 

I = Insecticide;  H = Herbicide;  M = Miticide;  F = Fungicide 

*The  LD-50  is  the  lowest  amount  of  a toxic  substance  (in  mg/kilo  of  body  weight)  needed  in  a 
single  dose  to  kill  50%  of  the  rats  in  a given  test.  For  example,  it  takes  50-60  mg/kilo  of  body 
weight  of  nicotine  to  kill  50%  of  the  rats  in  a study,  whereas  it  took  more  than  1 5,000  mg/kilo 
of  body  weight  of  Captan  to  kill  50%  of  the  rats  in  a study. 


by  Richard  A.  Bailey 


A favorable  combination  of  soil, 
light,  air,  water,  temperature  and  nutri- 
ents is  essential  to  the  growth  of  plants. 
Any  one  of  these  factors,  out  of  bal- 
ance with  the  others,  can  reduce  or 
even  entirely  inhibit  the  growth  of 
plants.  Thus,  the  weakest  factor  deter- 
mines the  level  of  plant  growth. 

We  must  be  concerned  not  only  with 
the  supply  of  a given  nutrient,  but  also 
with  its  supply  in  relation  to  all  the 
plant  nutrients  as  well  as  the  other 
environmental  factors. 


continued 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


Garden  Soil 


continued 


For  example,  in  the  diagrams  pic- 
tured here,  the  level  of  water  in  the 
barrels  represents  the  level  of  crop  pro- 
duction. On  the  left,  phosphorus  is  THE  COOPERATIVE  EXTENSION  SERVICE 

represented  as  being  the  most  limiting 


factor.  Even  though  the  other  elements 
are  present  in  more  adequate  amounts, 

COUNTY 

AGENT 

ADDRESS 

Philadelphia 

PHONE 

crop  production  can  be  no  higher  than 
that  allowed  by  the  phosphorus.  When 

Bucks 

Richard  A.  Bailey 

Neshaminy  Manor  Center 
Doylestown,  PA  18901 

215-DI  3-2800 

phosphorus  is  added  (right)  the  level 
of  crop  production  is  raised  until  it  is 

Chester 

Robert  A.  Powers,  Jr. 

235  W.  Market  St. 

West  Chester,  PA  19380 

215-696-3500 

controlled  by  the  next  limiting  factor, 
in  this  case  nitrogen. 

An  adequate  knowledge  of  garden 

Delaware 

James  J.  McKeehen 

Toal  Bldg. 

2nd  & Orange  Sts. 
Media,  PA  19063 

215-891-2491 

soils  and  how  to  manage  them  is  neces- 
sary for  a productive  garden.  Ideal  gar- 

Montgomery 

Paul  Reber 

400  Markley  St. 
Norristown,  PA  19401 

215-277-0574 

den  soil  is  fertile,  deep,  friable,  well- 
drained,  and  high  in  organic  matter. 
Heavy  clay  soils  are  late  in  drying  out 

Philadelphia 

William  H.  White 

S.E.  Cor.  Broad  & Grange  Sts. 
Philadelphia,  PA  19141 

New  Jersey 

215-HA  4-0650 

and  are  difficult  to  cultivate  and  work 
properly.  Extremely  sandy  soils  may 
lack  organic  matter  and  may  dry  out 

Burlington 

Richard  L.  Washer 

County  Office  Bldg. 
49  Rancocas  Rd . 

Mt.  Holly,  NJ  08060 

609-267-3300 

too  rapidly  between  water  applications. 
The  best  soil  is  between  these  two  ex- 
tremes. The  exact  type  of  soil,  however. 

Camden 

Robert  G.  Ruizzo 

County  Ext.  Serv.  Bldg. 
1 52  Ohio  Ave. 
Clementon,  NJ  08021 

609-784-1001 

is  not  too  important  if  it  is  we ll-d rained, 
adequately  supplied  with  organic  mat- 
ter, and  retains  moisture. 

Gloucester 

Raymond  H.  Battle 

County  Office  Bldg. 
N.  Delsea  Dr. 
Clayton,  NJ  08312 

609-881-1200 

soil  testing 

Mercer 

Charles  M.  Holmes 

930  Spruce  St. 
Trenton,  NJ  08638 

609-396-4593 

The  more  intensive  the  gardening, 
the  more  important  is  the  information 
provided  by  a soil  test.  The  test  also  is 
valuable  to  people  planting  a garden 

Salem 

M.  A.  Brace 

County  Adm.  Bldg. 
94  Market  St. 
Salem,  NJ  08079 

Delaware 

609-935-1360 

for  the  first  time  and  who  don't  know 
how  the  soil  was  treated  in  the  past. 
The  Pennsylvania  State  University  Soil 

New  Castle 

David  V.  Tatnall 

Univ.  of  Delaware 
Agricultural  Hall 
Newark,  DE  1971 1 

302-738-2504 

and  Forage  Testing  Laboratory  ana- 
lyzes all  samples  for  soil  pH,  calcium, 

Kent 

David  Woodward 

Box  340 

Dover,  DE  1 9901 

302-736-1448 

magnesium,  potassium,  and  phosphorus 
and  recommends  the  appropriate  nutri- 
ents based  on  plant  needs  in  that  soil, 
of  important  plant  nutrients  and  nutri- 

Sussex 

William  H.  Henderson 

R.D.  2,  Box  48 
Substation  Bldg. 
Georgetown,  DE  19947 

Maryland 

302-856-2553 

ent  balance  status  of  the  soil. 

You  can  obtain  a soil  test  mailing 

Anne  Arundel 

G.  David  Hitchcock 

44  Calvert  St. 
Annapolis,  MD  21404 

301-224-7111 

kit  for  garden  soils  from  your  county 
agricultural  agent  for  $3.00.  There's 

Baltimore 

W.  Max  Buckel 

981 1 Van  Buren  La. 
Cockeysville,  MD  21030 

301-666-0445 

no  additional  charge  for  analyses.  An 
information  sheet  with  each  mailing 
kit  if  completed  will  enable  us  to 

Carroll 

Robert  L.  Jones 

County  Office  Bldg.  Annex 
55  N.  Court  St. 
Westminster,  MD  21157 

301  -848-461 1 

recommend  appropriate  levels  of  lime 
and  fertilizers. 

• 

Harford 

Lynn  T.  Warman 

33  Courtland  St. 
Bel  Air,  MD  21014 

301-838-6000 

Richard  A.  Bailey  is  the  director  for  the 
Bucks  County  Extension  Service. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photo  by  Edmund  B.  Gilchrist,  Jr. 


28 


An  arborist  moves  skyward , not  an  activity  for  the  home  gardener. 


Tt  *ees  as  Purl  of 
I 'our  Gardening  Plan 

An  arborist’s  work  is  not  for  the  homeowner.  A good  arborist  not  only 
understands  what  needs  to  be  done  with  trees  and  when  it  needs  to 
be  done,  he  or  she  must  handle  risks  that  lesser  mortals  gladly  eschew. 


(^)  by  Jane  Pepper 

Two  scarlet  oaks,  one  sweet  gum, 
one  large  hemlock,  some  white  ash  and 
an  assortment  of  dogwood  trees  are 
among  our  best-loved  "possessions." 
The  oaks  shield  the  front  of  the  house 
from  the  western  sun;  the  sweet  gum 
provides  shade  for  the  terrace;  the  hem- 
lock obscures  the  neighbor's  house, 
and  the  dogwoods  are  beautiful  12 
months  a year. 

The  trees  in  your  garden  are  irre- 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photo  by  L.  Hampfler 


placeable  assets.  A good  sodding  job 
can  repair  a lawn  within  48  hours;  a trip 
to  the  local  garden  store  can  help  pro- 
duce a gorgeous  flower  garden  within  a 
few  weeks.  Mature  trees,  on  the  other 
hand,  cannot  be  purchased  at  any  price. 
Even  if  you  plant  a large  and  expensive 
tree  it  may  be  30  or  40  years  before  it 
will  give  you  the  shade  you  need. 

Such  an  asset  deserves  care  and 
attention  and  a long-range  plan.  It  also 
may  entail  considerable  expense,  so  it 
pays  to  learn  as  much  as  you  can  about 
your  trees  and  their  needs.  If  you  are 
well  informed,  you  have  a better  chance 
of  getting  good  value  for  the  money 
you  invest  to  keep  this  asset  viable. 

starting  with  the  architect 

Let's  start  with  a hypothetical 
couple  who  purchase  a lot  and  employ 
an  architect  to  build  the  dream  house 
they  want.  Before  the  architect  gets 
too  far  into  planning,  this  couple 
should  seek  the  assistance  of  an  arbor- 
ist or  a landscape  architect  with  a good 
background  in  trees  to  assess  the  poten- 
tial of  the  existing  trees  on  the  property. 
Fast-growing  trees  such  as  ailanthus, 
poplars  and  silver  maples  with  short 


lifespans  may  be  chain  saw  candidates. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  they  provide  the 
only  shade  on  the  lot,  they  may  be  val- 
uable. Often  the  location  of  the  house 
can  be  adjusted  to  save  some  of  the 
better  trees— if  the  architect  and  the 
arborist  are  given  a chance  to  work 
together  from  the  start.  Grade  changes 
are  especially  hard  on  surface-rooted 
trees  such  as  tulip,  beech  and  hemlock. 
If  the  grade  has  to  be  changed  to 
accommodate  the  house,  it's  often 
possible  to  save  valuable  trees  by  con- 
structing tree  wells  with  terra  cotta 
drains  to  irrigate  and  aerate  the  root 
systems.  Bulldozers  and  backhoes  can 
do  enormous  damage  to  fragile  root 
systems.  An  experienced  arborist  or 
landscape  architect  might  make  specific 
suggestions  as  to  which  areas  should  be 
dug  by  hand  to  preserve  a tree's  root 
system.  The  added  expense  may  save  a 
large  shade  tree,  which  will  in  years  to 
come  substantially  reduce  the  family 
cooling  bill. 

remodeling 

Most  of  us  are  faced  not  with  the 
vacant  lot  but  with  a house  set  in  an 
established  landscape.  Financially  the 


prospect  of  caring  for  the  trees  may  be 
daunting.  Most  homeowners  can  handle 
small  pruning  jobs.  Few  have  the  time, 
experience,  equipment  or  inclination 
to  tackle  the  larger  trees.  Before  you 
plan  any  changes  to  your  house  you 
should  first  consider  the  trees.  Maybe 
your  roof  is  in  sorry  shape.  Before  you 
lay  one  new  shingle,  however,  have  the 
trees  pruned  around  the  house.  Plan- 
ning a greenhouse?  Make  sure  the  trees 
adjoining  the  site  are  free  of  deadwood. 

Whether  you  have  a new  lot  or  an 
old  house,  your  first  challenge  is  to 
find  a reliable  arborist  or  tree  surgeon. 
To  get  the  right  person  takes  time,  but 
it's  time  well  spent.  Select  a person 
with  whom  you  can  establish  a long- 
term relationship— someone  who  will 
take  a personal  interest  in  your  trees 
and  make  long-term  recommendations 
so  you  can  spread  the  expense  out 
over  the  upcoming  years. 

For  the  most  part  you  may  find  the 
extension  service,  the  arboretums  and 
even  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural 
Society  reluctant  to  recommend  arbor- 
ists. Endorsement  of  a commercial 
operation  or  product  is  not  in  keeping 
with  the  goals  of  these  organizations. 

continued 


Japanese  maple 


29 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


rrrs  continued 


30 


Bill  Graham  of  Morris  Arboretum  makes  going  out  on  a limb  real. 


Your  best  source  of  information  may 
be  your  friends  and  neighbors;  failing 
that  check  the  Yellow  Pages  under 
“Tree  Service"  to  find  a list  of  arbor- 
ists in  your  area.  Choose  three  or  four 
companies  and  ask  each  one  to  give 
you  an  estimate.  Get  each  arborist  to 
establish  a long-term  plan  for  your 
property  and  then  have  them  break  it 
down  into  manageable  annual  chunks. 
Insist  on  receiving  a written  proposal 
for  the  planned  work.  Be  sure  to  ask 
them  for  proof  of  full  insurance  cover- 
age and,  if  you  plan  to  do  any  pest 
control,  make  sure  they  are  fully 
licensed  to  use  restricted  pesticides. 
Insurance  coverage  is  especially  impor- 
tant if  you  are  dealing  with  a tree  per- 
son who  is  moonlighting  on  evenings 
or  weekends.  While  these  people  may 
be  fully  covered  by  their  employer, 
they  may  not  be  covered  as  individuals. 

Don't  hesitate  to  ask  for  references 
and  try  to  find  out  about  their  back- 
ground and  experience  in  the  field.  At 
present,  unfortunately,  there  is  no 
certification  program  for  arborists  in 
this  area.  Bill  Graham,  superintendent 
of  grounds  at  the  Morris  Arboretum 
and  president  of  the  Penn-Del  chapter 
of  the  International  Society  of  Arbori- 
culture, hopes  their  chapter  will  be 
able  to  introduce  a certification  pro- 
gram within  the  next  couple  of  years. 

As  with  any  other  estimates,  you 
may  find  large  price  discrepancies.  If 
one  of  the  tree  estimates  is  very  low 
you  should  check  into  it  carefully 
before  you  sign  on  the  dotted  line.  Ab- 
normally low  estimates  usually  mean 
the  operator  plans  to  use  low-grade 
chemicals  or  fertilizers;  that  he  or  she 
is  a butcher  as  opposed  to  a pruner 
and  may  ruin  the  trees  by  pruning 
carelessly  in  a hurry;  or  that  he  or  she 
is  an  inexperienced  estimator  and 
therefore  may  be  an  inexperienced 
arborist. 

As  with  any  other  important  work 
on  your  property,  it's  best  to  be  on 
hand  while  your  tree  work  is  being 
done.  One  couple  employed  a reliable 
arborist  who  had  worked  for  several  of 
their  friends.  The  couple  discussed  the 
proposed  job  between  themselves  and 
then,  because  of  schedule  conflicts,  at 
separate  times  with  the  arborist 
neither  husband  nor  wife  was  on  hand 
when  the  work  was  done.  Unfortu- 
nately, they  were  unpleasantly  sur- 
prised when  they  came  home  and  found 


the  arborist  had  misinterpreted  their 
directions  and  removed  several  extra 
trees.  As  with  many  disasters,  this  was 
a clear  case  of  poor  communications. 

If  at  least  one  family  member  had  been 
on  hand  while  the  arborist  was  at  work, 
the  problem  could  have  been  averted. 
As  it  is,  the  trees  are  gone  and  it’s  going 
to  be  several  years  before  the  gaps  can 
be  filled. 

There  are  lots  of  excellent  arborists 
in  the  Delaware  Valley  and  most  of 
them  are  eager  to  enter  into  mutually 
rewarding  relationships  with  their 
clients.  Repeat  business  is  the  lifeblood 
of  a good  arborist.  Spend  a little  time 
to  find  the  right  one  for  your  trees. 

Pruning,  fertilizing  and  pest  control 
are  the  three  tasks  that  will  consume 
the  bulk  of  your  tree  budget. 

pruning 

Ed  Martin,  arborist,  Flourtown, 
Pennsylvania,  maintains  that  trees  can 
be  pruned  1 2 months  of  the  year.  Paul 
McFarland,  McFarland  Arborist  Ser- 
vices, Inc.,  Philadelphia,  prefers  to  halt 
pruning  between  March  15  and  early 
May  when  the  sap  is  flowing.  Time 
pressures  often  force  McFarland  to 
prune  during  these  months  but  he 
prefers  to  concentrate  on  take-down 
work  and  storm  damage  until  the  sap 
hardens. 

McFarland's  regular  customers 
request  that  their  pruning  be  done  in 
mid-winter.  Arborists  tend  to  work 
even  in  the  meanest  weather.  High 
winds  are  probably  their  greatest  deter- 
rent. Several  reasons  make  mid-winter 
an  excellent  time  to  prune:  leafless 
branches  are  lighter  to  bring  down  and 
easier  to  clean  up;  the  structure  on  a 
leafless  tree  is  easily  visible  and  the 
arborist  can  prune  for  aesthetic  effect 
as  well  as  the  health  of  the  tree;  the 
ground  is  often  frozen,  which  makes  it 
possible  to  bring  in  heavy  equipment 
with  a minimum  of  damage  to  a lawn. 

If  your  goal  is  to  open  up  vistas  and 


clear  pathways,  summer  pruning  and 
removal  is  probably  more  desirable 
because  you  can  study  the  effects  of 
the  work  as  you  progress. 

Pruning  your  trees  is  like  painting 
the  Brooklyn  Bridge.  As  soon  as  you 
get  to  one  end,  you  must  start  all  over 
again.  Ernesta  and  Fred  Ballard  try  to 
have  their  trees  pruned  on  a six-year 
cycle,  which  is  often  enough  to  keep 
the  trees  free  of  excessive  deadwood. 
They  consider  the  annual  pruning 
allowance  worthwhile  insurance  and 
rarely  have  a garden  littered  with  limbs 
after  a storm. 

fertilizing 

Fertilization  is  an  important  part  of 
your  long-term  tree  care  program.  Paul 
McFarland  says  well  fertilized  trees 
"can  more  readily  combat  diseases  and 
insect  attacks." 

Both  Ed  Martin  and  Paul  McFarland 
agree  that  trees  in  open  lawn  areas 
should  be  fertilized  once  every  other 
year.  Trees  in  natural,  wooded  areas 
can  fend  for  themselves,  those  in  cities 
or  restricted  areas  may  require  addi- 
tional fertilizer.  Tree  fertilization  is 
not  a simple  matter  of  adding  an  extra 
dose  around  the  tree  as  you  fertilize 
your  lawn.  On  the  contrary , you  should 
avoid  fertilizing  trees  in  this  manner 
because  it  encourages  surface  roots  at 
the  expense  of  deep,  anchorage  roots. 
Eventually  these  surface-rooted  trees 
may  topple  over  in  high  winds.  Other 
methods,  such  as  pressure  injection  get 
the  fertilizer  down  into  the  root  system. 

Where  possible,  McFarland  uses  the 
pressure-injection  method  to  get  the 
paste  fertilizer  18-24  in.  down  into  the 
root  system.  McFarland  says  this  sys- 
tem provides  the  roots  with  beneficial 
oxygen  as  well  as  fertilizer.  Both 
McFarland  and  Martin  stress  the  need 
to  make  sure  your  arborist  uses  an 
organic,  slow-release  fertilizer  so  its 
effects  will  be  dispersed  over  a long 
period  of  time.  Ed  Martin  uses  the 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photo  by  Edmund  B.  Gilchrist,  Jr. 


pressure  injection  method  when  the 
ground  is  soft.  When  it's  frozen,  his 
crew  makes  endless  holes  with  a bar 
and  places  dry,  granular  fertilizer  in 
each  hole.  Martin  likes  to  fertilize  heav- 
ily. An  1 8-in.  (diameter  at  breast  height) 
oak  in  his  front  yard  receives  about 
150  pounds  of  fertilizer  every  other 
year.  To  distribute  this  fertilizer  Martin 
may  make  as  many  as  200  holes  20  in. 
apart,  covering  the  ground  under  the 
entire  tree  canopy.  Each  hole  is  1 5-18 
in.  deep.  Both  arborists  agreed  that 
late  fall  is  an  excellent  time  to  fertilize. 

pesticide  control 

This  topic  is  probably  the  most 
controversial  matter  you  will  discuss 
with  your  arborist.  The  amount  of 
spraying  you  request  will  depend  upon 
the  state  of  your  trees,  on  your  atti- 
tudes towards  pesticides,  on  your  bud- 
get and  how  you  will  use  the  area 
beneath  the  trees.  One  friend  has  a gar- 
den surrounded  by  oaks,  which  are 
highly  susceptible  to  aphids  and  scale. 
Both  insects  exude  a sticky  substance 
that  coats  the  terrace,  the  outdoor 
furniture  and  the  shrubs.  In  order  to 
enjoy  the  garden  this  family  must 
apply  an  insecticide  to  their  oaks  three 
times  a year. 

Books  and  pamphlets  abound  on 
the  subject  of  the  control  of  insects 
and  diseases  and  this  is  no  place  to  sur- 
vey the  literature.  For  the  purposes  of 
this  article  Paul  McFarland  divided  the 
most  common  insect  problems  that 
affect  Delaware  Valley  trees  into  three 
categories  and  listed  them  in  descend- 
ing order  of  importance. 

1 . A combination  of  Fiorinia  hem- 
lock scale  (Fiorinia  extera)  and  woolly 
aphids  (Adelges  tsugae)  can  kill  hem- 
locks after  three  years  of  heavy  infes- 
tation. Unfortunately  this  combina- 
tion is  moving  into  Douglas  firs. 

2.  Scale  — primarily  on  oaks,  also 
on  maples  and  hickories. 

3.  Birch  leaf  miner,  holly  leaf  miner, 
gypsy  moth,  bagworms  (especially  in 
center  city  on  maples  and  junipers) 
and  spider  mites. 

One  disease,  anthracnose,  is  preva- 
lent on  sycamore  trees  in  this  area 
often  causing  them  to  defoliate  in  late 
spring.  There  is  no  effective  control 
for  anthracnose.  If  your  sycamore  is  in 
the  city  or  on  a suburban  lawn  and 
therefore  devoid  of  the  benefits  of  for- 
est life,  Paul  McFarland  suggests  you 


fertilize  the  tree  every  year  to  help  it 
put  out  new  leaves  following  defoliation. 

The  control  recommendations  for 
these  insects  are  complex  and  ever- 
changing.  If  you  wish  to  check  on  the 
recommendations  made  by  your  arborist 
I suggest  you  call  your  extension  agent 
for  the  most  up-to-date  information. 

trees  in  the  city 

City  trees  need  special  help,  which 
is  often  hard  to  provide.  It's  almost 
impossible,  for  example,  to  fertilize  a 
tree  with  a deep  injection  system  if  the 
trunk  is  surrounded  by  concrete  or 
brick.  McFarland  stressed,  however, 
that  homeowners  can  help  greatly  by 
watering  trees  in  dry  periods. 

City  residents  should  also  know 
that  street  trees  belong  not  to  the  city 
but  to  the  appropriate  homeowner.  A 
permit  is  required,  however,  before 
you  touch  any  tree  on  the  public  right 
of  way  (sidewalk,  lawnstrip).  The  fine 
for  breaking  this  law  is  $300.  The  rea- 
sons for  requiring  such  a permit  are 
twofold.  First,  where  possible,  the  city 
government  wishes  to  prevent  careless 
removal  of  trees.  Second,  permits,  al- 
though free,  are  only  given  to  insured 
arborists.  This  permit  protects  not 
only  the  city  trees  but  also  the  home- 
owner  from  liability  suits.  Although 
the  city  has  jurisdiction  over  the  trees, 
its  funds  for  tree  care  are  so  limited  that 
homeowners  will  probably  end  up  pay- 
ing for  all  tree  work  near  their  houses. 

City  and  suburban  tree  owners 
should  realize  that  they  have  air  rights 
within  the  bounds  of  their  property 
lines.  Should  the  large  sycamore  on 
your  neighbor's  property  lean  into 
your  yard,  you  have  the  right  to  remove 
that  portion  of  the  tree  that  infringes 
on  your  air  rights.  Be  warned,  however, 
not  to  remove  one  additional  inch 
without  checking  with  your  neighbor. 

As  you  can  see  from  the  perspectives 
of  arborists  Ed  Martin  and  Paul  McFar- 
land, tree  work  like  any  other  branch 
of  horticulture  is  open  to  discussion. 
There  are  few  absolute  rules  and  regu- 
lations, and  there  are  several  different 
ways  of  achieving  good  results.  There 
is  one  rule,  however,  which  should 
apply  to  all  of  us.  Our  trees  are  a won- 
derful heritage.  Let's  make  sure  we 
pass  them  on  to  the  next  generation  in 
good  shape. 

Jane  Pepper  is  public  information  coordi- 
nator for  PHS. 


1 

Stumped  by  Your  Stumps? 

The  first  house  my  parents  owned 
was  an  old  Scottish  manse.  The  house 
was  delightful  but  the  front  "lawn”  was 
full  of  seedy  trees  and  for  the  first  couple 
of  years  my  parents  seemed  to  spend 
their  weekends  on  either  end  of  a large 
saw.  Eventually  my  mother  had  her  sun- 
shine but  she  also  had  endless  stumps. 

By  then  the  children  were  old  enough  to 
lend  a hand  in  the  garden , and  we  were 
cajoled  into  drilling  holes  in  the  stumps 
with  an  auger.  Into  the  holes  my  mother 
poured  some  dreaded  concoction  and 
returned  to  work  on  the  rest  of  the  garden 
while  she  waited  for  the  stumps  to  rot. 

Eventually  some  obliged.  Others  showed 
no  signs  of  rotting  and  she  eventually 
piled  soil  on  top  of  the  larger  stumps  and 
built  several  rock  gardens,  fondly  known 
as  the  "dogs'  graves"  because  of  their 
bu  Iging  shapes. 

Paul  McFarland  suggests  a couple  of 
ways  to  get  rid  of  your  stumps.  The  first 
is  to  ask  your  arborist  to  rent  a stump  31 

grinder.  Unless  your  property  is  exten- 
sive and  you  have  several  stumps  to  re- 
move, this  is  often  not  practical.  The 
grinder  may  cost  the  arborist  $250 
per  day  on  top  of  which  you  must  pay 
the  arborist  and  his  crew.  Often,  even  if 
you  are  prepared  to  foot  the  bill,  the 
stumps  are  inaccessible  to  large  machinery. 

In  these  situations,  McFarland  suggests 
you  apply  a strong  dose  of  high  nitro- 
gen fertilizer  to  the  stump.  In  the 
presence  of  the  n itrogen  the  wood  bac- 
teria increase  dramatically  and  hasten 
cellulose  decay.  For  a 24-in.  diameter 
stump  McFarland  suggests  you  use  five 
pounds  of  38-0-0.  (This  fertilizer  may  be 
hard  to  find.  McFarland  buys  it  from 
Borden  Company,  DuPont  or  Hercules 
Chemical  Company.)  You  can  lay  the 
fertilizer  on  top  of  the  stump.  Alterna- 
tively , see  if  you  can  persuade  your  chil- 
dren to  help  you  drill  holes  and  pour  the 
nitrogen  into  the  stump.  Once  the  wood 
starts  to  rot,  chip  the  stump  away  with 
an  axe. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


photo  by  Paula  Singer 


BACK TO 


tools 


32 


In  the  spring  issue  of  Pacific  Horti- 
culture, editor  W.  George  Waters  wrote 
an  article,  "The  Gentle  Art  of  Digging," 
which  amounted  to  a song  of  praise  to 
the  spade.  Waters  included  an  interest- 
ing observation  made  by  a famous  gar- 
dener: "We  don't  talk  about  digging 
anymore— only  about  cultivation." 
Waters  noted  that  when  talking  about 
soil,  cultivation  means  using  machines 
with  rotating  blades  and  other  powered 
tools,  as  well  as  digging  with  a spade. 
But,  he  feels,  there  is  an  important 
difference  between  the  mechanical  and 
the  manual  process.  The  spade  reaches 
deeper,  and  he  insists  that  the  soil 
denied  the  spade  is  the  poorer  for  it. 

The  key  point  in  the  article  that 
drew  our  attention,  however,  was  a 
paragraph  that  dwelt  on  the  special 
affinity  a gardener  has  for  his  or  her 
tools.  Fred  Ballard  discussed  that 
special  caring  in  "Tale  of  a Tool" 
(Green  Scene,  September,  1979). 

George  Waters  expresses  that  rela- 
tionship in  the  following  way: 

"George  Glenny,  writing  on  garden- 
ing early  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
said,  'Never  work  with  bad  tools.  The 
difference  between  the  work  done 
(with  good  and  bad  tools)  in  a month 
would  buy  a set  of  new  ones.'  There 
are  so  many  bad  tools  offered  that 
finding  good  ones  may  call  for  diligence. 
My  first  spade  was  quite  ordinary;  it 
was  not  highly  priced  and  little  was 
claimed  for  it  by  the  makers.  Neverthe- 
less it  served  me  well  for  thirty  years 
and  may  be  serving  another  still,  for  it 
was  left  behind  in  England,  worn  but 
undamaged.  With  it  I had  dug,  and 
sometimes  double-dug,  many  acres  of 
ground.  It  survived  misuse  when  tree 
stumps  and  large  rocks  were  removed 
and  endured  occasional  neglect  when 
left  overnight  in  the  open.  Once,  when 
the  shaft  and  handle  seemed  gray  and 
rough,  I brushed  them  with  raw  linseed 
oil  to  help  make  the  wood  smooth 
again;  otherwise  the  spade  had  little 
care.  I was  fortunate  to  have  come 


upon  so  good  a tool  in  my  early  gar- 
dening days.  Over  the  years  I grew 
fond  of  its  sturdy  hickory  shaft  and 
familiar  handle  worn  to  my  grip.  The 
blade,  polished  by  rich  greensand, 
hungry  gravel  and  sticky  marl,  had  the 
temper  of  a spring  and  rang  like  a bell 
when  caught  on  a rock.  It  contributed 
to  my  pleasure  in  gardening;  George 
Glenny  understood  that." 


In  this  back  to  basics  issue  we 
wanted  to  include  some  information 
about  tools,  so  we  asked  several  staff 
members  to  recommend  tools  they 
find  indispensable.  We've  shown  them 
here.  They  are  all  available  at  garden 
centers.  There  are  many  more,  so  we'd 
like  to  hear  from  members  about  those 
less  than  ordinary  tools  that  have 
become  favorites. 


shap^ 


WOODf^ 


TROWEL 

handle  PAINTED 
YELLOW  (easy  TO  FI  ND 
GRASS  and  SHRUBS 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


basic  gardening  boohs 


General 

The  Principles  of  Gardening,  Hugh  Johnson, 
Simon  and  Schuster,  NY,  1979. 

Taylor's  Encyclopedia  of  Gardening,  4th  ed ., 
Norman  Taylor,  Houghton  Mifflin,  Boston, 
1961 . 

Design 

Homeowner's  Guide  to  Landscaping  That 
Saves  Energy,  Ruth  S.  Foster,  McKay,  NY, 
1978. 

How  to  Plan  Your  Own  Home  Landscape, 
Nelva  M.  Weber,  Bobbs-Merrill,  NY,  1976. 

New  Budget  Landscaping,  Carlton  B.  Lees, 
Holt,  Rinehart  & Winston,  NY,  1979. 

The  Small  Garden,  John  Brookes,  Macmillan, 
NY,  1978. 


T echniques 

The  Complete  Book  of  Growing  Plants  from 
Seed,  Elda  Haring,  Hawthorn,  NY,  1967. 

Diseases  and  Pests  of  Ornamental  Plants,  5th 
ed.,  Pascal  P.  Pirone,  Wiley  and  Sons,  NY, 
1978. 

How  to  Prune  Almost  Everything,  John 
Philip  Baumgardt,  Barrows,  NY,  1968. 

Pruning,  Christopher  Brickell,  Simon  and 
Schuster,  NY,  1979.  (RHS  Step-by-Step 
Encyclopedia  of  Practical  Gardening.) 

Culture 

Bulbs  for  the  Home  Gardener,  Bebe  Miles, 
Grosset  & Dunlap,  NY,  1976. 

The  Complete  Book  of  Groundcovers, 
Robert  E.  Atkinson,  David  McKay,  NY, 
1970. 

Crockett's  Victory  Garden,  James  Under- 
wood Crockett,  Little,  Brown,  Boston, 
1977. 


The  Green  Thumb  Book  of  Fruit  and  Vege- 
table Gardening,  George  Abraham,  Prentice- 
Hall,  Englewood  Cliffs,  NJ,  1970. 

Lawn  Keeping,  Robert  W.  Schery,  Prentice- 
Hall,  Englewood  Cliffs,  NJ,  1976. 

WO  Great  Garden  Plants,  William  H.  Fred- 
erick, Knopf,  NY,  1975. 

Rock  Gardening,  H.  L.  Foster,  Houghton 
Mifflin,  Boston,  1968. 

Shrubs  and  Vines  for  American  Gardens, 
Donald  Wyman,  Macmillan,  NY,  1977. 

Your  Lawn:  How  to  Make  It  and  Keep  It, 
2nd  ed.,  R.  Milton  Carleton,  Van  Nostrand 
Reinhold,  NY,  1971 . 

Also  recommended: 

Brooklyn  Botanic  Garden  Handbooks 

Ortho  Books 

Sunset  Books 


the  plant  Tinder 

If  you  have  been  unsuccessfully 
searching  through  the  usual  sources 
for  a particular  plant  or  specific 
seeds,  let  us  know.  We  will  publish 
a "want  list"  in  each  issue.  Send 
your  name  and  address  (include  zip), 
the  botanical  name  of  the  plant  and 
if  you  wish,  the  common  name.  Send 
to  Plant  Finder,  Green  Scene,  PHS, 
325  Walnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  PA 
19106.  People  who  have  the  plants 
or  seeds  you  want  will  contact  you 
to  make  arrangements  about  selling 
or  giving  them  away,  mailing,  etc. 

WANTED 

Iris  laevigata 

Contact:  Mrs.  Leon  J.  Heuser,  P.O. 

Box  160,  Robbinsville,  NJ  08691 


— A new  service  for  Green  Scene  readers 

Lonicera  alpigena  'Nana'  (dwarf  alps 
honeysuckle;  Lonicera  pileata  (pri- 
vet honeysuckle);  Lonicera  saccota; 
Lonicera  spinosa  'Alberti'  (Albert- 
thorrt  honeysuckle);  Lonicera  thi- 
betica  (Tibet  honeysuckle) 

Contact:  Frank  D.  Moyer,  409  Har- 
leysville  Pike,  Souderton,  PA  18964 
▼ 

Iris gracilipes;Helonias bullata  (swamp 
pink  or  swamp  hyacinth) 

Contact:  Mrs.  Horace  E.  Godshall, 
Goezel  Road,  Box  516,  Perkiomen- 
ville,  PA  18074 

▼ 

Euphorbia  myrsintes 

Contact:  Sir  John  R.  H.  Touron, 
K.B.E.,  Unionville,  PA  19375 


Seed  of  Houstonia  caerulea  (bluets, 
quaker  ladies) 

Contact:  Elizabeth  N.  Hume,  R.F.D. 
1,  Chester,  VT  05143 


Seed  or  seedlings  of  Quercus  macro- 
carpa  (bur  oak) 

Contact:  Lee  Fitchett,  5600  Knell 
Ave.,  Baltimore,  MD  21206 


To  our  readers:  We've  already  gone  to 
press  for  the  July  issue.  Our  normal  lead 
time  for  publications  is  three  months. 
We  must  have  copy  for  the  November 
issue  by  August  15. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


classified  ads 


ANYTHING  GROES  GREENHOUSE 
Sick  plant?  Bring  it  here  and  we'll  re-pot  it 
in  the  Anything  Groes  System  for  just  the 
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pot.  Call  first  to  make  sure  we're  here. 

As  always, all  plants  purchased  here  are  guar- 
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1609  McKean  Rd.,  Spring  House,  Pa.  19477 
Tel.  542-9343 


Orchid  hobbyists  will  enjoy  the  meetings  of 
the  Southeastern  Penna . Orch id  Society  held 
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Beginners  and  advanced  orchidists  will  find 
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For  information  call  688-1237. 


A wide  selection  of  ornamental  conifers  is 
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Looking  for  outdoor  lighting?  Nightscaping 
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Tel.  GL  9-2400. 


LORD  & BURNHAM  GREENHOUSES  are 
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There  are  still  1 73  models  available  and  each 
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For  expert  advice  on  the  selection,  construc- 
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Phone: (215)  872-7206. 


ATTENTION:  FLOWER  ARRANGERS.  Im- 
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08691.  (609)  259-2600. 

UNUSUAL  RHODODENDRONS: 
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and  directly  off  Exit  7 of  1-195. Send  usyour 
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Telephone  (609)  259-2600. 


IT  ISN'T  EASY  BEING  GREEN  unless  you 
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ARBORICULTURE 
The  Care,  Maintenance  and  Preservation 
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Natural  Pruning  is  our  Specialty 

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438-3970 


Sale  — Farmhouse  Arboretum  setting.  Five 
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DWARF  EVERGREENS,  UNCOMMON 
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lists.  DILATUSH  NURSERY,  780  Rte.  130, 
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Visitors  welcome.  Displays  labeled.  Brows- 
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Dwarf  conifers  rare  trees  and  shrubs,  hard 
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Live-in  position  for  graduate  horticulturist, 
female  preferred,  on  lovely  Chester  County 
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2,  Pottstown,  Pa.  19464. 


OUTDOOR  FURNITURE 
To  replace  or  relace 
call  the  Garden  Furniture  Specialist 
Hill  Co. 

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SNIPES  FARM  & NURSERY 
Founded  in  1 767 
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215-295-1138 

A complete  garden  center,  retail  and  land- 
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Ideas  abound  in  3 acres  of  display  gardens 
containing  the  Delaware  Valley's  most  exten- 
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Horticulturists  enjoy  coming  to  Snipes! 

Come  see  us  often ! 


Advertising  copy  should  be  submitted  8 weeks  before  issue  date:  November,  January , March,  May , July , September . Minimum  rate  $10.  Charges 
based  on  $3.00  per  line.  Less  10%  discount  for  two  or  more  consecutive  issues,  using  same  copy.  All  copy  should  be  accompanied  by  check 
made  out  to  PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  and  sent  to  Mary  Elizabeth  Lee,  THE  GREEN  SCENE,  325  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106. 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


THE 


Index  to  Volume  8,  September  1979  through  July  1980 
(listing  shows  issue  date  and  page  number). 


SUBJECTS 

A 

Ads  Sound  Too  Tempting,  Be  Wary 
When  Plant— Ascher.  . . . Sept.,  27 

Air  Layering  A Palm  — Elbert 

Sept.,  32 

Aloe  vera,  A Healing  Potion  Wrapped 

in  Green— Reimer Jan.,  1 1 

Annuals  for  the  Flower  Garden,  Un- 
usual—Bruno Mar.,  4 

The  Appeal  of  Eel  Grass  as  a Mulch 
—Berger May,  26 

B 

Basic  Gardening  Books  . . . .July,  33 
Basics  in  Horticulture,  Getting  Back 
to  the— Ballard  (Editorial)  . . July, 3 
Be  Wary  When  Plant  Ads  Sound  Too 

Tempting— Ascher Sept.,  27 

Books  and  the  Green  World:  A Book 
that  Almost  Wrote  Itself— West  . . . 
Mar.,  19;  Is  Gardening  Caught  or 
Taught?— Wolfe  . . . Jan.,  13 
Books,  Basic  Gardening  . . .July,  33 
Brook  with  a Rock  Garden,  Con- 
structing a Mountain— Kirmse  .... 
Mar.,  26 

C 

Cactus,  Christmas,  Our  Anthropo- 
morphic Lady  Belle— Riemer  .... 
Nov.,  30 

Carioca,  Come  On  and  Plant  the  — 

Morris May,  3 

Chemicals  for  the  Concerned  Gar- 
dener—Brubaker July,  23 

Children's  Books:  Is  Gardening  Caught 

or  Taught?— Wolfe Jan.,  13 

Christmas  Cactus  (Letter  to  the  Editor) 

—Simpson Jan.,  34 

Christmas,  Positive  Thoughts  While 
Weeding  Thinking  About  — Reed 
. . . Nov.,  22 

City  Gardening  — Goldstein 

July,  19 

Clematis  paniculata  — Molineux.  . . . 
Jan.,  34 

Come  On  and  Plant  the  Carioca  — 

Morris May,  3 

Comforts  of  Comfrey  — Reimer  . . . 
Mar.,  29 

Comfrey,  Comforts  of  — Reimer  . . . 
Mar.,  29 

Constructing  a Mountain  Brook  with 
a Rock  Garden— Kirmse  . . . Mar.,  26 
Coping  with  a Hot  Wet  Summer  — 

Ballard,  E Nov.,  20 

Cultivating  Rarity  . . , Good  Business 
or  Self ishness— Hume  ....  Mar.,  3 

D 

Dogs,  Keeping  Rover  from  Roving  — 

Brown Jan.,  27 

Don't  Let  February  Forgetfulness 
Foul  Your  Flora  — Lindemann  . . . 
Jan.,  26 

E 

Echeveria  x imbricata  — Bonham  . . . 
Jan.,  33 

Editorials:  Getting  Back  to  the  Basics 
in  Horticulture— Ballard,  E.  . . .July, 
3;  Horticulture:  Everyone  Has  a 
Story— Byrne  . . . Sept.,  3;  The  New 
Yorker  Magazine:  Gardeners  in  Gen- 
eral and  PHS  Members  in  Particular 
—Byrne  . . . Nov.,  3 
Eel  Grass,  as  a Mulch,  The  Appeal  of 
—Berger May,  26 

F 

Facts  & Fancies  about  Some  Holiday 

Horticulture  — Lindemann 

Nov.,  33 

Fall  Foliage,  Flower,  Fruit  and  — 

Katzaman Sept.,  14 

February  is  Springtime  in  the  Fernery 

—Peterson Jan.,  29 

Fernery,  February  is  Springtime  in  the 

—Peterson Jan.,  29 

Ferns:  The  Hidden  Story  Beneath 
Their  Leaves— Foster  . . . Sept.,  11 
Flower,  Fruit,  and  Fall  Foliage  — 

Katzaman Sept.,  14 

Foamflower  — Tiarella— Buchter  . . . 
Sept.,  23 

Fruit,  and  Fall  Foliage,  Flower  — 

Katzaman Sept.,  14 

Fuchsias  in  the  Delaware  Valley, 
Hardy— Cresson May,  32 


G 

Garden  Soil  — Bailey July,  26 

Gardening  Three  Stories  Up:  Some 
Lessons  Learned  - Bonham  . 
May, 17 

Getting  Back  to  the  Basics  in  Horti- 
culture — Ballard  E.  . . . July,  3 
Getting  Started  with  Primroses— Peck 
. . . May,  21 

Getting  the  Plant  and  Getting  It  into 
the  Ground  — Lennon  . . . .July,  16 
Getting  to  the  Garden  Path  — Crosby 
. . . Sept.,  20 

Glass  Houses,  People  Who  Live  in 

—Wolfe Nov.,  4 

Greenhouse  Alternatives  — Bruno  . . . 
Nov.,  14 

Greenhouses,  Solar  — Fredette  .... 
Jan.,  7 

H 

Hardy  Fuchsias  in  the  Delaware  Valley 


—Cresson May,  32 

A Healing  Potion  Wrapped  in  Green: 
Aloe  vera— Riemer Jan.,  1 1 


Holiday  Horticulture,  Facts&  Fancies 

about  Some  — Lindemann 

Nov.,  33 

Horticulture:  Everyone  Has  a Story  — 
Byrne Sept.,  3 

The  Horticultural  Photographer  — 

Zimmerman Mar  , 30 

Houseplants  Under  the  Grape  Arbor 
at  Wyck,  Summering  the  — Thomp- 
son   May,  1 0 

Hybridizing,  Rhododendrons:  A Book 
that  Almost  Wrote  Itself  — West  . . . 
Mar.,  18 

I 

Is  Gardening  Caught  or  Taught?  — 

Wolfe Jan.,  13 

J 

Jasminum  officinale  — Reay 

Sept.,  30 

K 

Keeping  Rover  from  Roving— Brown 
. . . Jan.,  27 

L 

Lady  Belle:  Our  Anthropomorphic 

Christmas  Cactus  — Riemer 

Nov.,  30 

Landscape  Design:  An  Introduction 
and  Two  Perspectives  — Lindemann, 
Kistler,  Wolfe July,  8 

Landscape  Design  for  Small  Suburban 
Properties,  Some  Useful  — Tyler  . . . 
May, 30 

Landscaping  in  a Heterogeneous  Com- 


munity-Pepper   Nov.,  31 

The  Lardizabala  Family  — Fogg,  Jr. 

. . . Sept.,  17 

The  Legal  Problems  of  Cultivating 
Your  Own  Garden.  Trend  or 

Trouble— Wiener Mar.,  14 

Letter  to  the  Editor  (Christmas  Cactus) 
—Simpson Jan.,  34 


M 

Magnolias  for  the  Gardens  in  the  Dela- 
ware Valley— Zuk Mar.,  1 1 

Mercer,  Henry  C.:  Naturalist  Extra- 
ordinary—Gemmill  Nov.,  26 

A Mountain  in  My  House— Gevjan  . . . 
Jan.,  1 6 

Mulch,  The  Appeal  of  Eel  Grass  as  a 
—Berger May,  26 

N 

Naturalist  Extraordinary:  Henry  C. 

Mercer— Gemmill Nov.,  26 

The  New  Yorker  Magazine:  Gardeners 
in  General  and  PHS  Members  in 

Particular— Byrne Nov.,  3 

The»  1979  Wonder  Vegetable:  The 
Sugar  Snap  Pea— Pepper  . . . Jan., 20 
Neomarica  gracilis  — Shuman  .... 
Nov.,  29 

New  Plants  from  Radiation  — Niedz 
. . . Nov.,  11 

O 

Our  Friend  the  Sun  — Manaker  .... 
July,  4 

P 

Palm,  Air  Layering  a — Elbert 


Sept.,  32 

Path,  Getting  to  the  Garden  — Crosby 
. . . Sept..  20 

Perennials  for  the  Garden,  Seven  Un- 
usual—Loewer  May,  6 

People  Who  Live  in  Glass  Houses  — 

Wolfe Nov.,  4 

Peppers  Pick  a Peck  of  Peppers  — 

Pepper May,  1 3 

Philodendron  scandens  — Pepper  . . 
Sept.,  31 

Phoenix  dactylifera  — Cresson 

Mar.,  34 

Photographer,  Horticultural  — Zim- 
merman   Mar.,  30 

Plant  Finder  . . . . May,  20;  July , 33 
Positive  Thoughts  While  Weeding 
Thinking  About  Christmas  — Reed 
. . . Nov.,  22 

Primroses,  Getting  Started  with  — 

Peck May,  21 

Primula  obconica  - Wilmerding 
Jan.,  32 

R 

Radiation,  New  Plants  from  — Niedz 
. . . Nov.,  1 1 

Raraflora  II:  Inevitable  or  Horticul- 
tural Rape,  The  Sale  of  — Shuman 
. . . Jan.,  3 

Rhododendron  Hybridizing:  A Book 
that  Almost  Wrote  Itself  — West  . . . 
Mar.,  18 

Rock  Garden:  A Mountain  in  My 

House— Gevjan Jan.,  16 

Rock  Garden,  Constructing  a Moun- 
tain Brook,  With  a — Kirmse 

Mar.,  26 

Roof  Dram,  The  Ugly  — Geer 

May, 34 

S 

The  Sale  of  Raraflora  II:  Inevitable 
or  Horticultural  Rape  — Shuman  . . . 
Jan.,  3 

Seed  Preservation  — Holden 

Mar.,  24 

Seeds  Come  From,  Where  Your  Gar- 
dening—Ascher  Jan.,  23 

Seven  Unusual  Perennials  for  the  Gar- 
den—Loewer May,  6 

Soil,  Garden— Bailey July,  26 

Solar  Greenhouses  — Fredette 

Jan.,  7 

Some  Useful  Landscape  Design  Books 
for  Small  Suburban  Properties  — 

Tyler May,  30 

Sophora  japonica  — The  Stately 

Scholar— Peeples Sept.,  25 

Stately  Scholar,  The  Sophora  japonica 

—Peeples Sept.,  25 

Suburban  Properties,  Some  Useful 
Landscape  Design  Books  for  — Tyler 


. . . May, 30 

The  Sugar  Snap  Pea,  The  1979  Won- 
der Vegetable— Pepper  . . .Jan.,  20 
Summer,  Coping  with  a Hot  Wet  — 
Ballard,  E Nov.,  20 


Summering  the  Houseplants  under  the 
Grape  Arbor  at  Wyck— Thompson 
. . . May, 10 

Sun,  Our  Friend  The  — Manaker  .... 
July,  4 

A Sunporch  Jungle  — Harding 

Nov.,  17 


T 

Tale  of  a Tool— Ballard,  F.  . . . Sept.,  8 
Tiarella  — Foamflower  — Buchter  . . . 
Sept.,  23 

Tool,  Tale  of  a— Ballard,  F.  . . . Sept.,  8 

Tools July,  32 

Trees  As  Part  of  Your  Gardening  Plan 

-Pepper July,  28 

Tree  Wisteria— Frederick  . . . Mar.,  8 
Tulips  with  a Difference  — Miles  . . . . 
Sept.,  4 


U 

The  Ugly  Roof  Drain  — Geer 

May, 34 

Unusual  Annuals  for  the  Flower  Gar- 
' den— Bruno Mar.,  4 


V 

Vegetable  Garden : The  Winter  Harvest, 
Working  Toward  a Year-round  — 
Buchter May,  28 

W 

Where  Your  Gardening  Seeds  Come 


From— Ascher Jan.,  23 

The  Winter  Harvest,  Working  Toward 
a Year-round  Vegetable  Garden  — 

Buchter May,  28 

Wisteria,  Tree— Frederick  . . . Mar.,  8 

Wonderlite  — Elbert Nov.,  8 

Working  Toward  a Year-round  Vege- 
table Garden:  The  Winter  Harvest  — 

Buchter May,  28 

Wyck,  Summering  the  Houseplants 
Under  the  Grape  Arbor  at— Thomp- 
son   May,  1 0 

Y 

Year-round  Vegetable  Garden:  Work- 
ing Toward  the  Winter  Harvest  — 
Buchter May,  28 

AUTHORS 

A 

Ascher,  Amalie  Adler— Be  Wary  When 
Plant  Ads  Sound  Too  Tempting  . . . 
Sept.,  27  . . . Where  Your  Garden- 
ing Seeds  Come  From  . . . Jan.,  23 

B 

Bailey,  Richard  A.— Garden  Soil  . . . 
July,  26 

Ballard,  Ernesta  D.— Coping  with  a 
Hot  Wet  Summer  . . Nov.,  20,  Edi- 
torial: Getting  Back  to  the  Basics  in 
Horticulture  . . July,  3 
Ballard,  Frederic  L — Tale  of  a Tool 
. . . Sept.,  8 

Berger,  Carolyn  Aquino— The  Appeal 
of  Eel  Grass  as  a Mulch  . . . May,  26 
Bonham,  J.  Blaine— Echeveria  x imbri- 
cata . . . Jan.,  33;  Gardening  Three 
Stories  Up:  Some  Lessons  Learned 
. . . May, 17 

Brown,  Barbara  D.— Keeping  Rover 
from  Roving  . . . Jan.,  27 
Brubaker,  M.  M.— Chemicals  for  the 
Concerned  Gardener  . . . July,  23 
Bruno,  Barbara— Greenhouse  Alterna- 
tives . . . Nov.,  14,  Unusual  Annuals 
for  the  Flower  Garden  . . . Mar.,  4 
Buchter,  Thomas  —Tiarella  — Foam- 
flower . . . Sept.,  23,  Working 
Toward  a Year-round  Vegetable 
Garden:  The  Winter  Harvest  . . . 
May, 28 

Byrne,  Jean  — Editorial : Horticulture: 
Everyone  Has  a Story  . . . Sept.,  3; 
Editorial:  The  New  Yorker  Maga- 
zine: Gardeners  in  General  and  PHS 
Members  in  Particular  . . . Nov.,  3 

c 

Cresson,  Charles  O —Phoenix  dactyli- 
fera . . . Mar.,  34,  Hardy  Fuchsias  in 
the  Delaware  Valley  . . . May.  32 
Crosby,  Alexander  L.— Getting  to  the 
Garden  Path  . . . Sept.,  20 

E 

Elbert,  George  A.— Air  Layering  a 
Palm  . . . Sept.,  32;  Wonderlite  . . . 
Nov.,  8 

F 

Fogg,  John  M.  Jr.— The  Lardizabala 
Family  . . . Sept.,  1 7 
Foster,  F.  Gordon  — Ferns:  The  Hid- 
den Story  Beneath  Their  Leaves  . . . 
Sept.,  11 

Frederick,  William  H.  Jr.  — Tree  Wis- 
teria . . . Mar.,  8 

Fredette,  Richard  C.  Ill— Solar  Green- 
houses . . . Jan.,  7 

G 

Geer,  Glen  B — The  Ugly  Drain  . . . 
May, 34 

Gemmill,  Helen  H, -Henry  C.  Mercer: 
Naturalist  Extraordinary  . . . Nov., 
26 

Gevjan,  Roxie  — A Mountain  in  My 
House  . . . Jan.,  1 6 

Goldstein,  Libby— City  Gardening  . . . 
July.  19 

H 

Harding,  George  M.  — A Sunporch 
Jungle  . . . Nov.,  1 7 
Holden,  Howard  J.— Seed  Preservation 
. . . Mar.,  24 

Hume,  Elizabeth— Cultivating  Rarity 
. . . Good  Business  or  Selfishness  . . . 
Mar.,  3 


K 

Katzaman,  Diane  M.— Flower,  Fruit 
and  Fall  Foliage  . . . Sept.,  14 
Kistler,  John  — Landscape  Design 
Starting  from  Scratch  . . . July,  9 
Kirmse,  Werner  — Constructing  a 
Mountain  Brook  with  a Rock  Gar- 
den . . . Mar.,  26 

L 

Lennon,  Jane— Getting  the  Plant  and 
Getting  It  into  the  Ground  . . . July, 
16 

Lindemann,  Ed  — Facts  & Fancies 
about  Some  Holiday  Horticulture 
. . . Nov.,  33;  Don't  Let  February 
Forgetfulness  Foul  Your  Flora  , , . 
Jan.,  26;  Landscape  Design:  An 
Introduction  . . . July,  8 
Loewer.  H.  Peter— Seven  Unusual  Per- 
ennials for  the  Garden  . . . May,  6 

M 

Manaker,  George— Our  Friend  the  Sun 
. . . July,  4 

Miles,  Bebe— Tulips  with  a Difference 
. . . Sept.,  4 

Molineux,  Helen  McGarry— Clematis 
paniculata  . . . Jan.,  34 
Morris  Julie— Come  On  and  Plant  the 
Carioca  . . . May,  3 

N 

Niedz,  Randall  P — New  Plants  from 
Radiation  . . . Nov.,  1 1 

P 

Peck,  Dee— Getting  Started  with  Prim- 
roses . . . May,  21 

Peeples,  Edwin  A.— The  Stately  Schol- 
ar (Sophora  japonica)  . . . Sept.,  25 
Pepper,  Jane— Landscaping  in  a Hetero- 
geneous Community  . . . Nov.,  31 ; 
Philodendron  scandens  . . Sept., 

31;  The  1979  Wonder  Vegetable. 
The  Sugar  Snap  Pea  . . . Jan.,  20; 
Peppers  Pick  a Peck  of  Peppers  . . . 
May,  1 3;  Trees  as  Part  of  Your  Gar- 
dening Plan  . . . July,  28 
Peterson,  Marilyn  B.—  February  is 
Springtime  in  the  Fernery  . . . Jan., 
29 

R 

Reay,  Devon—  Jasminum  off icinale  . . . 
Sept.,  30 

Reed,  Joanna  McQ.  — Positive 
Thoughts  While  Weeding— Thinking 
about  Christmas  . . . Nov.,  22 
Riemer,  Jan— Lady  Belle:  Our  Anthro- 
pomorphic Christmas  Cactus  . . . 
Nov.,  30;  A Healing  Potion  Wrapped 
in  Green  Aloe  vera  . . . Jan.,  1 1 ; The 
Comforts  of  Comfrey  . . . Mar.,  29 

s 

Shuman,  Betsy  —Neomarica  gracilis  . . 
Nov.,  29;  The  Sale  of  Raraflora  II: 
Inevitable  or  Horticultural  Rape  . . . 
Jan.,  3 

Simpson,  Phyllis— Christmas  Cactus 
(Letter  to  the  Editor)  . . . Jan.,  34 

T 

Thompson,  Ann  Newlin— Summering 
the  Houseplants  under  the  Grape 
Arbor  at  Wyck  . . . May,  10 
Tyler,  David  L.— Some  Useful  Land- 
scape Design  Books  for  Small  Sub- 
urban Properties  . . . May,  30 

W 

West,  Franklin  H.  — A Book  that 
Almost  Wrote  Itself  . . . Mar.,  18 
Wiener,  Saul  S.— The  Legal  Problems 
of  Cultivating  Your  Own  Garden: 
Trend  or  Trouble  . . . Mar.,  14 
Wilmerding,  Susan  P .—Primula  obcon- 
ica . . . Jan.,  32 

Wolfe,  Mary  Lou— People  Who  Live 
in  Glass  Houses  . . . Nov.,  4.  Is  Gar- 
dening Caught  or  Taught?  . . . Jan., 
13;  Landscape  Design : Starting  Over 
. . . July.  12 

Z 

Zimmerman,  L.  Wilbur— The  Horti- 
cultural Photographer  . . . Mar.,  30 
Zuk,  Judith  D. -Magnolias  for  Gar- 
dens in  the  Delaware  Valley  . . . 
Mar.,  1 1 


the  green  scene  • july  1980 


Trees  for  the  garden  change  throughout  the  year.  Here  ice  coats  a beech  tree  to  create  a magical  picture  in  the  landscape.  See  page  28 


¥7)  m 

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